Immanuel or God With Us

EMANUEL, OR, GOD WITH US. Wherein is set forth, England's late great Victory over the SCOTS Army in a Battle at Dunbarre, the third of September, 1650.

AS The Sun would shine in it's own brightness, and glory, though all the world were blind, or did willfully shut their eyes against it: So will the Lord, gloriously appear in his mighty and wondrous works, howsoever man shuts his eyes, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord, nor see w •• n his hand is lifted up. I make no question, had the Scots ob • ained the Victory (though not clothed with half so many remarkable circumstances of God's presence) they would have said, (and their friends here likewise) in the words of the Prophet; Thou hast maintained my right and my cause: Thou satest in the throne judging right. And as Protogenes said of the Painters line, none but Apelles could draw it. So would they peremptorily have concluded, had our Army been overthrown, a special hand of God, remonstrating a justifying of them, their Cause, their King and Kirk.

I hope without offense, what they would have done, (had our Cause been theirs) we may take the like liberty, and with reverence to the place say, By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me: Yea, and make it appear in the eyes of all impartial, and dis-engaged 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 Parliament hath declared) upon Grounds of Justice and Necessity.

1. It is a sign that the Lord maintains the Cause of a people when he seasonably delivers them from an insolēt & proud Enemy; from vain-glorious fools, Holelim, Mad-boasting fools, vainly promising themselves Victory, & brea • hing out threatenings. Thus the Egyptians triumph . The enemy said, I will pursue, I will over come, I will divide the spoil: my lust shall be satisfied upon them: I will draw my sword, mine hand shall destr • y them. Behold, how they flattered them selves in their own eyes, rejoicing to devour the poor in secret: But whilst they were imagining a victory, and dividing the prey, the Lord stirred up himself, and awaked to Israel's judgment, even unto his Cause: and therein not only got himself a great name, but it is recorded as one of his signs and wonders shown 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 less insulted Benhadad, he will not be satisfied with Ahab's silver and his gold, and his wives, and his children: 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 witness, If the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls, for all the people that follow him. Here I may say with the Prophet, Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O thou mighty man? How God destroyed the Army of that blood-boasting Tyrant, and clothed him with shame, the History shows, and with all, in that the Lord did so, it did evid ••• lie appear, 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 puffed 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 cal • d Essex his Pound, demanded of our men to yield up our Train, Carriages, and Fire-arms: They had disposed of us, and of their business, in sufficient wrath and revenge towards our persons, and had swallowed • p the poor 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 General in the field, boasted he would have our whole Army dead or alive by seve • a clock the next morning.

Neither were the Ministers less insolent and presumptuous then the rest; for as Pharaoh said of the children of Israel, they are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in: so these conceiving us to be in a trap, persuaded 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 honor of the N • mon • 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 Conquerors, 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 in the thing wherein 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: Let them be ashamed, and brought to confusion together, that rejoice at my hurt, let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me. And in this the Lord hath not left himself without witness, 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. 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 stiff neck.

2. It argues God's owning a people and their Cause, when he remembers them in a low estate; app • ars for them, when human helps and hopes in a manner fail, and gives them victory over an Enemy, strong, lasty, and men of valor. In the Book of Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, the people of God sometimes have been so low, as they have not known what to do, their power gone, their General fainted, half of their Army so feeble & sore broken, as not able to march. In a word, they have been reduced to such straits, as if they had the sentence of death in themselves.

Now God's appearing for them at such a time, and giving them the victory in such a case, not only shown 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 vi • ble Characters, THIS IS GOD'S CAUSE.

How weak 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 merciless men: Our Forces lessened, our bodies enfeebled with fluxes, our strength wasted with watchings, want of drink, wet and cold being our continual companions, much impaired our strength and courage, and made above 2000. men altogether useless, which were sent away at several times to Berwick: His Excellency and his Officers finding their unfitness for further delay, and being in and under such straits, and distresses, resolved, by day break, to break through this Israelitish condition.

Mans extremity is God's opportunity: when we are 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 weakness, and by unworthy and unlikely instruments, contemptible in the eyes of men, to bring great things to pass, & to confound the things which are great and mighty, that it may appear: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, and therefore 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 so the power and goodness of God may the more shine forth, and the mercy itself when it comes taste the sweeter. As the greater a man's hunger is, the sweeter is the meat, and the more relish he hath in it.

That this victory may appear to be of God, and not of man, and what a signal Testimony the Lord hath given in this particular, that the Battle and Cause was his: I desire the Reader to observe; that out of weakness our Army was made strong. God gave power to the faint, and to them that had no might he increased strength. He that was feeble among them at that day, was as David, and David as the Angel of the Lord before them. The Lord exalted him that was low, and abased him that was high: Powred contempt upon Princes, and weakened the strength of the mighty. No sooner had our men poured out their complaint before God, and shown before him their trouble, saying, Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger then I. But suddenly the Lord arose like a Giant refreshed with wine, wounded the hairy scalp of his • nemies, smote them upon the cheek-bone, and put them to a perpetual reproach. Zion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoiced, because of thy judgments O Lord.

3. That the Lord hath given Testimony to the Justice of our Cause, doth further appear by the great number of the enemies overthrown by a few.

Some report the Scots Army was thirty thousand; but six thousand horse, and sixteen thousand foot at least. Ours (to sound men) were not above seven thousand and five hundred foot, and three thousand and five hundred horse; these with the courage which the Lord was pleased to give them, in less than an hours dispute, put the Enemies whole Army into confusion, and it became a total Rout, our men having the chase and execution of them near 8. miles: their foot in a manner all taken and slain, to the number of 15000. whereof a third part were computed to be killed: 200. Colours and more of Horse and Foot were taken, 10. Colonels, 12. Lieutenant-Colonels, 9. Majors, 47. Captains, 72. Lieutenants, 80. Ensigns, besides Cornets and Quarter-masters: All their Train of Artillery, consisting of 22. field-guns, beside smaller pieces: They left behind them all their Arms, no less than 15000. their Tents, Bag, and Baggage. Thus the Lord rebuked the company of spear-men, the multitude of the bulls, with the Calves of the people; and so let thine enemies perish O God.

And that it may appear they were destroyed before the Lord; and the same God which to them was terrible, a consuming fire, making his arrows drunk with the blood of the slain, and of the Captives, to our Army was their rock, their fortress and deliverer, the horn of their salvation, who covered their head in the day of battle, and girded them with strength.

Our slain & hurt were not many; I do not believe (saith his Excellency) we have lost 20. men, not one Commissioned Officer slain that I can hear of, save one Cornet, and Major Rooksby, since dead of his wounds, and not many mortally wounded. Was not that promise here made good, even in the letter? A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but at shall not come nigh thee: Only with thine eyes thou shalt behold, & see the reward of the wicked: He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou be safe.

I have read of a General, who finding his Soldiers dismayed by the smallness of their company, and the multitude of their enemies, asked them, how many (quoth he) do ye reckon me at, who am your Commander and I eader: If David were as ten thousand of the people, what is David's Lord? Our Soldiers never thought as Caecina did, unam in armis salutem; that their safety only consisted in their weapons; they are better principled, and therefore knew, that Salvation belongeth to the Lord: and making him their Refuge, even the most High their habitation, he was with them in trouble, he delivered them, and honored them, his right hand, and his holy arm got them the victory.

Heretofore, when the Lord had acted, and appeared for a people in this manner, it was always observed by the godly wise, as a sure evidence and sign of his approving their Cause: as on the contrary, a righteous hand of divine punishment upon the destroyed party, for taking up Arms in defense of something unjust and sinful, either Person or Thing. And indeed, the promise runs so; If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them: Ye shall chase your Enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword: and five of you shall chase a hundred, & an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: This promise is enlarged in Joshua, One of you shall chase a thousand: So we also, (as Lavaret on the place) shall obtain victories if we keep the law. This thing afterward was notably performed in David's Worthies, of whom someone lifted up his s • ear against eight hundred, and slew three hundred at one time. Three men brake through the host of the Philistines; As Major-General Whalley's Regiment, charged through the Enemies whole Army, and back again, with little or no loss.

I know there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or few, nothing is unpossible with him: Notwithstanding, when by weakness he overcomes strength and power, by a few, many and multitudes: as the righteous Lord loves righteousness, so this shows, that he hath pleaded and maintained the righteous man's Cause; That God delivered divers Kings and all their host into the hand of Israel; much people, even as the sand that is upon the shore in multitude, with horses & chariots, and by a few totally routed; the Midianites and the Amalekites, and all the children of the East, which lay a long encam • ped in the valleys like grasshoppers: Saved Israel by a very small party, when the Philistines gathered themselves against them, thirty thousand Charets, and six thousand Horsmen, and people as the sand which is on the Sea-shore for multitude. Overthrew Zerah the Ethiopian, when he came against As with a • host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred Chario • s, and by a small number in comparison of his. What is to be learnt hence; what observation to be raised? what use to be made of such glorious Vctories, such great Actings and high Appearances of God? Only that he is mighty in battle, a man of war, a God that doth wonders, Great things and unsearchable, marvelous things, without number? What, nothing else? Yes surely, something more; namely, that he owned their cause, and acknowledged them to be his Soldiers, and his host, whom he delivered, & made Conquerors, with a stretched-out Arm, and with great judgments; the others he took for his enemies, and that their Cause was naught and wicked. They might see, by destroying them in such a wonderful and strange manner. A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this.

I have read of one Atabalipa, King of Cusco, who being persuaded by one Vincent a Friar to become a Christian, & upon this reason, that he should serve the God that made Heaven and Earth: The Indian asked the Friar how he knew it, he having a Bible in his hand, told him, he had learnt it there: The King takes the Book in his hand, opens it, smells to it, and lays it to his ear, and hearkens if it spake anything; but perceiving he could have no satisfaction by his feeling, neither did the Book speak to him, he threw it away, and laughing at the Friar, told him, that his Book and he were both fools.

Now such there are at this day, and not a few; for all the world, like that Heathen King, because God speaks not to their dull and blind hearts, in their gross and foolish way, they profit not by the works of his hands, neither are his present Appearances, and Givings in to his people, (though the same with his former dispensations, all along held forth in holy Scripture) observed, at least not acknowledged of them, and God glorified, as they ought and should do. But what of all this, yet the Lord is known by the judgments which he executeth.

4. I suppose it cannot be paralleled (as his Excellency hath well observed) of the like solemn Appeales unto God, in reference to the Justice of a Cause, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of Controversy, as was done by both parties before the War began. The Scots not only took God to witness, that they had clean hands, and pure hearts, were men (like Nathanael ) in whom there is no guile, but referred the Cause between Them and Us, to the unerring sentence of the highest Judge, as he should appear in his providence and mighty Actings either for us or them. It is true, they are a people presumptuous and lavish this way, as in all their Remonstrances, Declarations, Petitions, Answers, &c. may be seen; evermore Appealing to the great and eternal God, the searcher of all hearts, and taking the Lord to record upon their souls, touching their integrity and clearness in walking. But howsoever, seeing now God hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary, & hath heard from heaven, and from heaven uttered his voice, and caused his judgment to be heard. Methinks they should fear, and be still, give glory to the God of heaven, and make confession to him: and the rather, because they know, as he is a God that cannot lie; a God that loveth righteousness and judgment, and hateth wickedness: so it is righteousness that hath now looked down from heaven, and in heaven God hath heard and done, and judged his servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

This Appealing unto God, is like the water which was given in trial of Jealousy: If the woman had done trespass against her Husband, the water would become bitter in her bowels, her belly swell, and her thigh rot: But if clean, and not defiled, she should conceive seed, and be fruitful. So it is, when men call upon God to judge their Cause, and will have a witness in Heaven, and in his definitive sentence pretend to stand. If they are Liers, Dissemblers, Hypocrites, falls-hearted, double-hearted, &c. no marvel if the Curse enter into them, and that God by some visible, sensible, remarkable hand, punish them for their great presumption, and for such impudent boldness, and because they did not fear this glorious and fearful name, JEHOVAH THY GOD.

Again, on the other hand, if men appeal unto God, as David did in the Cause between him and Saul, the Lord judge between me and thee: and are upright before him, walk in their integrity, setting the Lord always before them: The Lord will open to them his good treasure, he will make them the head, and not the tail; they shall be above only, and not beneath, and wheresoever they go they shall prosper.

Neither did the Scots rest in a bare appealing unto God, as to plead the Cause between us and them: but so confident they were, or rather fool-presumptuous, of God's being on their side; as if they had tied him (as the Tyryans did their god Hercules ) with a golden chain to secure themselves of his residence among them. And here some of their Ministers played their pranks, telling the people, yea and God too, he could not be just and righteous, and like himself, unless he assisted them to destroy the Sectarian Army, as they called us: to such an height of blindness and madness were they lifted up, making true the proverb, a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

Henry the 2. hearing Menz his City to be taken, used this blasphemous speech; I shall never (quoth he) love God anymore, that suffered a City so dear to me, to be taken from me. I am so far from wishing, that any of them should be given up to such gall of bitterness, and power of darkness, as to blaspheme the God of Heaven, because of their pains and their sores, as I unfeignedly desire (and my prayer to God for them so is) that they may see, how the Lord, to whom they have again and again appealed, is against them and their Cause, as being come to them to judgment, a swift witness against the sorcerers against the adulterers, & against false swearers. And therefore they shall do well, to hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously.

The Prophet David saith, Thy way is in the Sea, and thy path in the great waters. In a Sea-voyage, there are no lanes, no foot-paths, no print of wheels, no high Mercuries to direct the Mariners, all their direction must be fetched from the Pole and Stars, compared with the card and compass, and touched needle. It were to be wished, that some men (for their own sake, and the sake of others) would look less upon the rotten post of the Covenant, the human Kirk, and the Lordly discipline, and see more of God's footsteps and goings in his sanctuary: how he bows the Heavens and comes down, and darkness is under his feet, when he arises: how his Enemies are scattered, and the wicked perish at the presence of God. Are the unreasonable creatures called upon, heaven and earth, the sea, the field, and all trees of the wood, to rejoice and be glad, because the Lord judgeth the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth? should not man more abundantly utter the memory of his great goodness, sing of his righteousness, and talk of his power. Now, wherein is this great goodness, righteousness, and power of God more seen, then when God hath his way in the Sea, speaks from Heaven; that is, being appealed unto as the supreme Judge, and called upon to give sentence in a Cause depending between two Nations; he speaks out, and gives sentence, yea so thundereth with the voice of his Excellency, as our Enemies themselves, being Judges, they must confess, it is a Divine voice, a God speaking, the righteous judgment of the most high. Who so is wise, & will observe those things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord.

5. There is not a surer evidence of the Lord's presence with a people, and pleading their Cause, then when in the way of his providence he makes the unreasonable creatures seasonably serve for their comfortable deliverance and safety. When he stopped the Lions mouths, restraind the violence of the fire, Caused the sea to fly, & Jordan to run back. What was shown here? That the Lord stands at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul. Again, when the Lord hath his way in the storm: When the stars in their courses shall fight against Sisera, and great stones from heaven shall be cast down upon the heads of the Canaanites: when the Lord visiteth with thunder, and with earth-quake, and great noise; with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire: What is here signified? That he is angry with those against whom he thus fighteth, takes them for his Enemies, and that they have a sinful and unrighteous cause.

What a clear Character and sign the Lord gave our Army, of owning them and us, and the Cause for which they fought, Our posterity after us shall have cause to remember, and to bless God for it: Thus it was.

Upon Saturday, August 30. we marched from Muscleburgh to Heddington, where by that time we had got the Van brigade of our Horse, and our Foot and Train into their Quarters, the Enemy was marched with that exceeding expedition, that they fell upon the Reed-forlorn of our Horse, & put it in some disorder: And indeed, had like to have engaged our Reer-brigade of Horse, with the whole Army, had not the Lord by his providence put a cloud over the Moon, thereby giving us opportunity to draw off those Horse to the rest of the Army; So his Excellency. From ano •• er hand, thus; The Enemy (unknown to us) attended upon 〈◊〉 right wing, and in the Evening drew up a strong party upon our •• cer guard, and might, probably, have spoiled them, if not provi ••• tially prevented by the over-shadowing clouds, which so eclipsed the Moon, as thereby a period was put to the Enemies motion, until the Sky was cleared, &c.

A little before day, the darkness is greatest: When our straits and troubles are at the highest, then is our deliverance nearest at hand. In sick persons we see it cometh to pass, that they think there is no hope of life; when the Physicians and standers by see certain and undoubted signs of health. When Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them: here was little hope of life: what way now could a man imagine of safety to David? What probability, or possibility in man's understanding, that he should escape? yet the Lord found out a way for him, and delivered him.

When the King of Syria sent Horses and Chariots, and a great host to apprehend Elisha, and they had compassed the Gitie about, in which he was: What hope of life here? what way was there, in human Reason, for the Prophet to escape? Yet the Lord (who knows how to d • liver the godly out of temptations) had a door open for him whereby to escape.

When the Scots Army suddenly and unexpectedly fell upon us, had many advantages; Our whole Army was like to be engaged, (not then in a capacity or posture to fight, but rather as sheep to be led to the slaughter:) what hope of life here? who can see any way of coming out? As a man upon a Rock in the Sea, sees only waters round about him, no land: so is our present case, we see nothing, but either fight or fly: Coacta stabile ad praelium, we must fight, and are forced to it, even in this sad and hard condition. But the Lord, who hath his preventing blessings of goodness, commanded the Moon not to give her light, over-shadowed her with his thick clouds, so that the Scots are here left, like the Sodomites, in darkness, groping for our men, as they did for Lot's house, whilst the Angels of the Lord put forth their hands, and pulled us in, under the shadow of the Almighty.

Thus God was seen in the Mount, an act of special providence, and sufficient to convince any Adversary, that the Lord was with us and with our Cause, unless he be like unto him who said, I will not be convinced, though I am convinced.

Indeed, some men are like Squint-eyes; if you set a book direct before them, they cannot read a word, nor see a letter, though it be a large and fair print; but hold the book 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, goodness, justice and faithfulness of God most shine forth, and which look most fully and directly at his glory, those, their squint-eyes cannot see. 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 days of public Thanksgiving in remembrance of them, If the State command it, 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 devour them.

6. Not only hath the Lord given us this great Victory, but with it hath happily brought to light many remarkable things, whereby is discovered the gross hypocrisy, 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 God's taking our part and Cause against them.

1. Since the Victory, some of their Officers and Soldiers 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: Nevertheless, willing or not willing, do it he must, and shall; howsoever (as was said) they knew, that therein he would dissemble, and play the hypocrite and themselves also.

It may seem 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 hypocrisy and deep dissimulation both of King & people, the same in the Parliaments Answer excellently is observed.

In the space almost of 24. hours to grow up in the full persuasion 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 days of his life.

Again, He that can on the 15. of August, hug all his Malignants and Popish party in his bosom, and lodge them in the secret Reserves of his favor and love as his best friends, can now on the 16. (the day following) from the fullness of persuasion 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 anymore to do with them. There needs nothing to be added, for the matter it self is like a filthy carcass, which will rot and consume away, though it be never touched.

Among the Myconians it was no unseemly 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, falsehood and hypocrisy is no deformity, no blemish or fault in nature, they being naturally so; I speak not of all, but of the most part, liars, and a seed of falsehood.

Physicians in some unseemly convulsions, wish their Patients should look on themselves in a glass, which will cause them to strive the more when they shall see their own deformity. If the Scots would but look here upon themselves, and behold this deformity, I should think they would strive the more against it; howsoever God sees their halting and double-dealing, and hath already shown his great indignation against them for it. Some of them say God hath hid his face for a while from the sons of Jacob; but by your leave, Jacob's sons are children that will not lie, they will not make lies their refuge, and under falsehood hide themselves: they will not speak lies in hypocrisy, but every man the truth to his neighbor: and Jerusalem shall be called the City of truth. If men trust in vanity, and speak lies, conceive mischief, 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 falsehood. If judgment be turned away backward, and justice standeth afar of: If truth be fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter, God indeed will then 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 Sons of Jacob, and say stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am more holy than thou.

2. Their dissimulation each with other doth further appear, and God's judgment upon them likewise for it. No sooner did the Scots King hear of the loss of their Army, bu he protested he was glad of it; and falling down on his knees, gave great thanks in the presence of all about him, that they were so destroyed.

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 down. If it should be granted, the Scots by their thundering threats of rejection, deposition, Sale, Excommunication, &c. had so terrified the young Crocodile (I speak in Scripture language) having gotten him amongst them, as he was forced to vomit up his own sins, and his Fathers, and Mothers sins; all the idolatries, adulteries, witchcrafts, sodomies, murders, &c. of his Ancestors, to William the Bastard, as they make him say in his Declaration. Yet he knew how to lick up all again, and to turn when occasion should be, to his former vomit, and wallowing in the mire.

Germanicus (howbeit a Heathen) was so affected to see his men cast away, as that he said he only was guilty of their death, and could hardly be stayed by his Friends from casting himself into the Sea. But their Kings happy Conversion, amounted not to so much humanity, ingenuity, pity, fellow-feeling, &c. It seems by this, he was at most but a Pharisaical Proselyte, of whom Christ saith Ye compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the Child of Hell then yourselves. Some give the sense of the place thus: the Proselyte is twofold worse, because whatsoever he saw evil in the Pharisees, that he would learn and practice; but wherein they did well, and what was good, therein he followed them not. Such a Proselyte their King seems to be; he sees them dissemble, & seek to cozen the World, under glorious words of a holy Covenant, pure worship, a zeal of God against superstition, Heresy, Prophanenesse, &c. This he learns by heart, and speaks it by rote, and lies, and dissembles as fast as they: but for other things which he sees amongst them, as are venerable, lovely, and of good report, we do not understand he is this way inclined to follow their example.

3. Remarkeable it is (and another proof of God's witnessing against their Cause) how the Scots Prophets have seen vain, and foolish things, false Burthens and causes of banishment. These men, as our General hath well observed, have hindered the passage of good things to the hearts of the People: And when much love hath been offered them in the Bowells of Jesus Christ, by good words, and fair Speeches, they have deceived the minds of the simple, whereby they have brought the just guilt of much blood upon their own heads. And not only like Hananiah, have some of them sought out false Visions, Prophecying the destruction of an Army, promising safety, and Victory to theirs; but leaving the subject to which they were called, and taking to them the Instruments of foolish Shepherds, they would give Orders to the Soldiery where to March, when to Fight, Counselling them contrary to the advice of their chief Officers, by which their rash and heady presumptions, many were overthrown, and destroyed.

It is somewhere reported of the Indians, that if they snuff up into their Nostrills the powder of the Herb Cohabba, they will streightwayes run mad, and are ready to do any bad thing. We can show it by experience, when Ministers leave off to Preach Christ, and meddle in State Affairs, and Worldly polities, will determine of civil powers, asperse the Government under which they live, and not be subject to the higher Powers (for all their swelling words of being the Ministers of Jesus Christ, ready to speak in their Masters service, and will refuse no suffering, so they may fulfill their Ministrey with joy. ) Such as do receive their Carnal Doctrines, are driven into a kind of fury, and madness, acting strange things prejudicial and destructive to the People amongst whom they live. Philosophers do hold, if the inferior spheres were not ruled, & in a manner corrected by the highest, the swiftness of their motion would quickly fire the World. There are no men so swift of motion, as some of our Coat, and did not the higher spheres wisely rule them, and many times correct them too, they would soon set on fire both Church, and State. Scotland at present can say so by woeful experience, England would say no less if her higher spheres were as low and dull as theirs.

4. This is to be added as a further manifestation of God just hand against their unrighteous Cause: To wit, wha • this Army was (I mean in their own eyes) which the Lord by weakness overthrew: All Covenanters, no Malignants, Sectaries, Papists, an Army in point of Covenant, Reformation (like the Spanish Armado in 88. INVINCIBLE:) An Army like Alberts, Duke of Saxony, called the Dye Groate Gaerde, the great Rod or Whip; so this shall be the Hammer of Heretics, the Scourge of Schismatics, and Sectaries. That is, being interpreted, the Arm of Flesh, and instrumental means to hinder the passage of the Gospel, suppress the ways of Christ, and power of godliness, and to advance human institutions, formallity, Tyranny, &c.

Indeed, such glorying there was in this reformed Army, having none in it but Subscribers to the Covenant, and the Priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron being likewise amongst them: their enemies vain men, & Children of Belial, with whom were the golden Calves which the Parliament had made, & whose leader was the great Antichrist. As the foolish and ignorant people did fully believe there would be little need for them to Fight, but standing still they should see their Enemies fall before them. Being dealt withal here not much unlike one Tammoran a Jacobine Friar, who persuaded Joanillie, Anastros Boy, to kill the Prince of Orange, and for his encouragement gave him certain Characters in paper, assuring him that he should go invisibly, having the same about him: The Crue of the condition of this Army (having also the Kirks blessing with it) so tickled the ears of the people, as it was no other, then as a Chrame to bewitch them, causing them to trust in a lie, and for sake their own mercies.

Among the Scythians, when their Priests foretold an untruth, they were carried along upon hurdles, full of heath, & dry wood, drawn by Oxen, and manacled Hand and Foot, and burnt to death. My worst wishes towards these men, is Repentance from dead works, and that God will make them see how extremely they have deluded and abused the People. It was piously and Christianly spoken of our General in his Letter to them, The Lord pity you, saith he: Truly I pity them with my heart, and my Bowells yearn for them; nevertheless, being to speak of their hypocrisies and delusions, in so grossly dissembling with God and his People (as the same Hand writes ) I conceive it is my duty, having the Prophets, Apostles, and Christ himself, for an example, to discover things in such a way as is best, and profitablest to undeceive the people Surely their turning of things upsidowne shall be esteemed as the Potters Clay. Their filling of men's ears with the nauseous noise of the Covenant, the cause of God, Reformation, the extirpation of Heresy, Schism, Superstition, is no otherwise (as they apply it) but hatching Cockatrice Eggs, and weaving the Spiders web: It is the very same which the Prophet calls Dawbing with untempered Morter. When a man dwells in a ruynous house, the Mason comes and Plaisters it over, and makes him believe that all is well, then the house falls, and smothers him: So by their lies they make sad the hearts of the righteous whom the Lord makes not sad; that is, he that departeth from evil, they brand him with the contemptible name of Sectary, Schismatic, Regicide, Rebell, and strengthen the hand of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way They make their King glad with their wickedness, and the Princes with their lies. Hence the wrath of God riseth against them, cuts off head and tail, Root and Branch, and there is no remedy, Consider what I say, and the Lord give ye understanding in all things.

7. Neither was it without a special providence of God that our WORD should be the LORD OF HOSTS, theirs, THE COVENANT: Here now lay the great Cause betwixt us and them, They for the Covenant, we for The Lord of Hosts, and as the Cause thus stood betwixt us, so the Lord by a mighty hand, gave a remarkable Witness from Heaven, on whose side the truth and right was. For as Dagon fell when the Ark came near it, so fell the Covenant (as another D • gone ) at the presence of the Lord of Hosts.

Since this great Victory, some of the Presbyterian Ministers here, have openly declared, that there was an Achan in the Scots Army, it is true, there was so indeed, but what was that Achan? Seeing they t • l • us not, I shall do it for them; the Cherem, or Cursed thing (I • ache it) was the Covenant; this should have been destroy • d, and therefore seeing their Cause was the Covenant, and the Covenant Anathema, no marvel they fell in the day of Battail. Now that the Reader may be of the same Opinion with me, I shall lay down many Reasons for it. But before I speak of them, I desire that these things may be taken notice of.

1. I have elsewhere clearly proved that the Covenant is sick of Jehorams Disease, the Bowells of it are fallen out. It is a Covenant like Musgrum, or Toad-stool, though it grow, it hath no root; not a word or warrant in holy Scripture, for its justification, either in reference to the matter of it, or the manner, as it was given, and taken. It is an Oath indeed, but contrary to the definition of a religious & lawful Oath, a Covenant it is, but against the properties, use, and end of a sacred, or holy Covenant; these things we have fully manifested by the word of God, and reasons, and have answered to whatsoever probablie may be said in the defense thereof.

2. Howsoever they have set up Altars to THAT SHAMEFULL THING, and bow their knee before it; yet have not any of them to this day (and I desire all men in all places to observe it well) fairly appeared in the behalf of it, as taking it part by part, and proving every part. I say it again, (as yet) they never came so nigh the Covenant as • o prove, either the Ground-work, matter, or form of it justifiable. That which they do, is thus, they tell us, The General Assembly hath approved it: So the Reverend Synod of Divines in England, the Kirk allows it, Learned men of the reformed Churches beyond Sea consent to it. But the Church of England (as some call it) Resolveth that all Counsels, and Synods, whither Provincial, National, or Ecumenical they may err, and have erred in things appertaining to God, and the same is professed by all Protestant Churches.

King Henry the 8. put out the name of the Pope, but allowed still his Laws. I know some are well content that Popes and Prelates should go down, howsoever they will walk in their steps, as to be Lord's over God's Heritage, and have dominion over the faith and Consciences of men. Beza saith that God never gave power to man for imposing Laws upon the Conscience, nor can endure that any besides himself, should bear sway, or dominion over the minds of men. Nevertheless, when these men speak great, and swelling words, the KIRR, the GENERALL ASSEMBLY, the REVEREND SYNOD OF DIVINES; they look now that men should fall down and worship them, yield subjection and obedience in points of faith, to whatsoever is imposed upon them, under these big names, and titles, howsoever they bring nothing (neither can they) from the word of God, for the clear justification thereof.

But really, the Priests of Rome (in this particular) deal more plainly and truly, and are truer to their own principles, then these men are. They say right out that the Pope, in things belonging to faith he can by no possible means err. when he sets forth a Decree God stoppeth every way unto him which might bring him into error, so that he never was, he never shall be able to do ought against faith. Now grant this, then whatsoever he deviseth, and imposeth upon men, although there be not any Scripture brought to confirm it, yet there is no need to question the same. The Ministers of the Church of England, and Scotland, say, a General Assembly, and Synod of Divines may err, and have erred in things appertaining to God. Nevertheless, Magisterially, and Authoritatively, they will have their Acts and decrees received (as this Covenant • o be the Covenant of God) though nothing do appear, wherefore it should be received, but ipse dixit, their will, and bare word, and the great sound of a General Assembly.

Thus Reader, I have thought good to mind thee of, to wit, howsoever the Presbyterian Ministers, both here, and elsewhere, cry up the Covenant, and in their Pulpits make it half their work to speak against Covenant-breakers, notwithstanding they have not by the word of God ever shown the same to be lawful. I say more (and will abide to it) there is not one of them single, nor the whole College of them together, that can prove it to be the Covenant of God. The simple believe • th every word, but the prudent man looketh well to his going. And now I come to the reasons, the Covenant being the Scots Cause, could not but incense the Lord of Hosts, to jealousy and wrath against them, considering the foul, and gross abuse thereof, and to what bad, and base uses it is put: As,

1. This Covenant (as it wanders like Cain in the earth) is now made a common Strumpet, as the Prophet saith openeth her feet to everyone that passeth by. It's a cover for every pot, a Fidler for all Companies, a Cloak to any design; it's like a Dutch-man's house, you may turn it up, or down, wear it which way or how you will. As it will fit a Presbyterian, so it will serve a Cavaleer, or a Malignant likewise, and as well: their King and his party, by it, can as fairly carry on their interest of Tyranny, and Idolatry, as the other their way (which they falsely call) the cause of God. And why not? For may not the former, abounding in their own sense, and taking the liberty which the later do, say, the Church of Rome is best reformed, according to the word of God, and by the Covenant: they are bound in their places to seek the extirpation of the Presbyterian-Church, Ministry, worship, & Government, as Heretical, Factious, Schismatical. Cosmus Medicis, Duke of Tetruria, gave two Anchors for his impression, with this word, Duabus, meaning it was good to have two holds. This Covenant carries the like device, or Coat-Arms, two holds, yea ten, and they may be used any way, put * forward, or backward, as men please, and Politicians know how to turn and wind them so.

2. That the Lord of Hosts was against the Covenant, the Scots Cause, no marvel, for if we will take the Presbyterian sense of it, the Covenant enjoins men to destroy the Churches and people of God, and to suppress the gifts of God, and the Spirit of Christ in his Saints, and Servants. Yet so (Caute si non caste) as Nero cladded the Christians in Bears skins, when he perceived the Mastives otherwise would not devour them: so this great wickedness (in the Covenant Tongue ) must be called, the extirpation of Heresy and Schism, and under that color men may act the highest persecution, and the Covenant will allow it. It is said, that the coming up of the Preaching Friars, was purposely to suppress the Truth; and Tiberius made Caligulus his Successor, that he might destroy these People. I will not say that it was in any man's heart when this Covenant was first devised, that it should be a Snare, and a pit, whereby to destroy true Religion, and the faithfulst Professors thereof; but this I will say, as it is now interpreted (and some would have it executed) one main thing to be found in it is, the blood of the Prophets, and of the Saints, and of the souls of the poor innocents, being like the Idols of the Samoeds, whose mouths and eyes are all bloody: Or Hercules Image, which had a string in his Tongue, and a Club in his hand, inficiet, or interficiet, persuade, or kill. I have seldom heard of the like Covenant, unless that of Charles the 5. who Vowed to make the Decrees of Trent, to be received by the Sword. When he maketh Inquisition for blood he remembereth them, he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

3. This Covenant must needs be one of the things which God hates, and is an abomination to him, because it is a false witness, that speaketh lies, and soweth discord among brethren. The use & end of a lawful oath (as Pareus saith) is that debates and controversies may cease. So the Apostle, An oath is the end of all strife. The taking of an Oath (saith Mr. Elton) serves to further brotherly love, and to confirm lawful peace and society between party & party, Country & Country, Kingdom & Kingdom: And a little after, that Controversies which hinder love, & Christian charity, may be ended. So † Blakewel, word for word: What a Make-bate this Covenant is between man and man, Family and Family, Church and Church, Nation and Nation, I may speak the less, considering our present sad experience shows it abundantly. It is no Covenant of peace, but an Ishmaelite, whose hand is against every man. As flies sticking to a sore hinder the healing; so this Covenant (as a noisome fly) keeps open the differences and breaches between brethren and neighbors, obstructing the recovery and cure thereof. Gideon's Altar and Ensigns did carry this motto: JEHOVAH SHALOM, that is, the Lord send peace: but on the Ensigns and Colours of the Covenant, is engraven the mark of the beast, WARRE AGAINST THE SAINTS, covered over with a spetious pretence, For God and the King, for Religion, the Church, &c. As the Turks say, it is for Mahomet that they make war upon the Christians? and the Popes plead it, in ordine ad deum, that they supresse the truth, and persecute the professors of it: so they make the Covenant to speak lies in hypocrisy. Woe unto them that call evil good, that put darkness for light, and bitter for sweet.

4. That the Scots Covenant, and so their Cause was evil, and therefore the Lord of Hosts fought against it; appears further thus: As it is a mad dog (as Julian was called) biting where it should not; so it is a dumb dog in the Presbyterian sense, not barking or biting where it should do, and where there is just cause and reason for it. The Scripture saith He that sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a Murderer which is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. Thine eye shall not pity him, &c. Let no man stay him from the Pit. Now, howsoever it be acknowledged by the Presbyterians, that the late King was a man of blood, and did most unnaturally murder, and kill many thousands of his best Subjects, yet they say by the Covenant Oath, men were bound, (although clearly against the Law of God) to preserve his person, and not to put him to death, notwithstanding all the innocent blood which he had shed, and other high crimes committed. As his Excellency saith, away with the Covenant if this be so; a Heathen could say, Nothing can be honest which wants justice. And 'tis a Maxim in Law Prohibited contracts, or Covenants against Law, are by right nothing.

Again, A condition evil, or impossible, makes the Action void. Our Divines also affirm the like An Oath is unlawful, being taken concerning things which are not in our power. It is Tyranny (saith another) to oblige others unto impossible things. So Rivel, No man ought to be constrained by Oath to act anything that is unjust. His Reason is, Because obedience to God's Commandments (which never disagree among themselves) is to be preferred before all things. That it is not in man's power to preserve the life of a Murderer (whither King or Subject) the word of God clearly holds it forth (and so much I have in another place proved,) and therefore it is Tyranny in the Covenant to force men to do that which is not in their power, neither can they do it possibly: Or if they should, it were then a sinful and most unjust thing. Ames goes further; If a man (saith he) should swear that he would not do his duty and office, he is so far in such a case from keeping his oath, that keeping it, he increaseth his sin. So then, by this it appears, if men by the Covenant did bind themselves not to do what God required of them, and what their duty and office was to do, (namely not to put a Murderer and Tyrant to death) yet they ought not to keep such an unlawful Oath or Covenant; but rather repenting of it, fulfill the Commandment and will of God: The law of the wise is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death.

5. Howsoever the Scots and some here cry up the Covenant, as they did the Image which fell down from Jupiter; Great is Diana of the Ephesians: Nevertheless (and let it be well minded) what the Covenant is, it is not yet known; not the Negative or Affirmative parts of it: neither can the Takers of it agree among themselves about the particulars contained therein. Some think it was in taking, like the Jewish Manna in eating, of w ^ch a report goes, that it tasted as everyone would have it: so it is supposed, that the Covenant might be applied every way, and to anything, as men did desire to please their palate. But here was not that way which David desired the Lord to lead him in, A way of plainness; here would be no swearing in judgment, that is, consideratly, knowingly, and understanding what they did. But here rather, the doctrine of blind obedience, and the Colliars faith was countenanced: and what Hosius saith, ignorance in most things is best of all: to know nothing is to know all things. And Cusan; Irrationall obedience is the fullest and perfectest; that is, when obedience is shown, without enquiry or asking any reason as a beast obeys his Master.

This blind obedience in taking the Covenant I much pity, and howsoever the time of this ignorance God winked at; nevertheless let men take heed of presumptuous sins, as not to plead for Baal against knowledge and conscience: the Lord of Host hath begun to cast dung in the face of it, & he will every day more and more declare his wrath from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.

6. That the Covenant, the Scots Cause, was the Achan, who will not think so, if he duly consider, how after a Scots trick, it serves to make men hypocrites and liars: Of their King, made to dissemble before God and the world, and that by the Covenant. I shall speak no more, only it is worthy of note, as one saith of Traitors, they are odius to those, even whose instruments they are: So many men, although they make use of the Covenant (as a Traitor to further their design) yet is the same detested, and hated by them: The Covenant usually hath been taken, as men do physic, in extremity, and for necessity sake; not but the purge is bitter and loathsome to them: so in extremity to prevent sequestration and the Kinks curse, they have swallowed it, but sore against their wills. Neither would they have done so, if necessity had not been: As a monster occasioneth grief to those that bred it; even so, my mind gives me, the Covenant is now matter of shame and sorrow to some, who had a chief hand in the first promoting of it.

7. Neither in the last place may it be forgotten, as another cause, wherefore the Covenant could not stand before the Lord of Hosts: Namely, because (as it is used) it serves to heighten and strengthen formality, profaneness, and looseness of life: What an enemy it is unto Gospel-truths, and the power of godliness, I have shown before: this only here may be added, how it leads men unto human Forms, and builds them in a careless, spiritlesse, and fruitless worship. The Spaniards say of Aquinas, he that knows not him, knows not anything; and he that knows him, knows all things. The Covenant is the Scots Aquinas; he that takes it is no Malignant, no Sectary or Schismatic, but a geud Christian: whosoever refuseth it, is an enemy to the Kirk, the work of Reformation, and the great cause of God: so that the Covenant is lifted up above faith, and the grace of God in Christ; as if it were that man of sin, opposing and exalting it self above all that is called God. The Turk keeps a lock on the crown of his head, thinking he shall be drawn up into heaven by it: such is the vanity and madness of some, as they think God loves them, and that they shall be saved, and upon this account, because they are Covenanters, not having besides, any appearance of piety, or fear of God before their eyes. It is a land of graven Images, and they are mad upon their idols. I will not be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

Having thus shown, that the Lord of Hosts was above the Covenant, and why against it: I shall now in the Close, humbly propound something to the consideration of our State. The brazen S • rpent, howsoever set up by God's appointment, yet afterward was broken in pieces, being abused to Idolatry. If this Covenant had been of God (which never was but Nehushtan, bras at first) it being now made an Idol, & like Gideon's ephod, a snare to Israel, England I mean; whether it be not fit (following the good example of that great Reformer Hezekiah ) that it should be put down by public Authority: Methinks there should not any relick or monument of it remain in the Land, but what hangs up in Westminster-Hall: and the rather, seeing the Lord of Hosts hath gone before us, and cast the first stone at the Hulalah.

The manna which the Lord gave Israel, when it stank and bred worms (they having kept it against the word of the Lord) they threw it away. Flowers, though they pleased us well when they were fresh; yet when the sweetnesss of them is lost, when they stink, and are offensive, we cast them off: Had this Covenant (like Manna ) been good at first, a lovely and sweet flower, (which never was:) Nevertheless, seeing it is now a worm in our bowels, & most offensive, something should be done in a public way, to show our disowning and rejection of it. I know that maxim in Logic, tollatur abusus, maneat usus seu substantia: but that rule cannot be applied here, because this Covenant was sinful and unlawful in the very matter and substance of it. Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.

8. Concerning this Victory, it is further related, thus: They staid only two shocks, and soon left their Train; their Foot threw down their Arms, and both Horse and Foot ran several ways.

I have read of a certain mercenary Soldier, who would with many disgraceful speeches exclaim against great Alexander: Memmon the General of Darius Army lent him a blow with his lance, saying, that he had hired him to fight against Alexander, and not to rail at him. It is not credible, how the Scots Soldiers aspersed his Excellency with their bold and base reproaches: but in Battle were like the Satyr, that winded his horn, and ran away from the sound of it; fulfilling that saying in the Prophet, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. And here was another clear demonstration, that the Lord took our part; and by his acting and appearing in this manner against them, manifested himself an Enemy to them and their Cause.

It is usually God's manner, when he comes to visit an hypocritical Nation, and purposeth to tread them down like the mire of the street, for maintaining an unjust Cause, to send a faintness into their hearts, and bring a fear upon them, a fear on every side, and horror shall cover them: then he will take away the heart of the chiefest of them, their might shall fail, their stout-hearted be spoiled, and none of the men of might shall find their hands: their men (at such a time) shall be as women, and their strength to sit still. All hands shall be faint, and every man's heart shall melt, and they shall be afraid: Pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them, they shall be in pain as a woman that travelleth; they shall be amazed one at another, their faces shall be as flames.

How this dreadful sound comes in their ear, and through fear they hast away: It is

1. Because with God is terrible Majesty. Now the fear of him comes upon them, and by the greatness of his arm they are still, and afraid: When they hear, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon, all the host runs, flies, cries woe unto us, who shall deliver us out of the hand of this mighty God? or hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb? Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the Lord did drive them, Jer. 46.15.

2. Trembling and anguish seizeth on them, because their enemies are God's friends. And howsoever at other times they scoff the people of God, and set light by them; yet in Battle, their appearance and presence is terrible and dreadful to them. I will make many people amazed at thee, and their Kings shall be horribly afraid of thee. I will put the dread of thee, and the fear of thee upon Nations, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble. Your terror is fallen upon us, that all the Inhabitants of the land faint because of you. Their hearts melted, neither was their spirit in them anymore because of the children of Israel. Thus the innocent shall stir himself up against the hypocrite: and howsoever behind their backs they shall be called a Sectarian Army, and Anti-christs soldiers: yet when they come face to face, they are a dread and a terror, and a great fear unto them: and no marvel, mark the reason for God is in the congregation of the righteous, and breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, and the Chariot he burneth with fire.

No marvel they throw away their Arms, and fly, Horse and Foot, when God striketh their hearts with inward stinging terrors: this was signified by the hornets. The sword without, and terror within shall destroy. As a Thief flies before the pursuer, and dares not • ight or look back, knowing what he hath done, and how his condition is: so men being conscious to the falsehood and injustice of their Cause, have no courage in Battle; but through the horror and dread of a guilty Conscience, with sorrow and shame fly before their enemies.

4. Fear and faintness is upon them, because now they begin to consider the great things which the Lord hath done for their enemies: What remarkable deliverances and victories they have formerly had, how he hath evermore blest the labors of their hands, and made them successful and prosperous wheresoever they come: This coming to their mind (with thoughts of God's revenging hand formerly upon them forth i • deceit and hypocrisy, in acting the same thing which now they do) it convinceth them that the others have a rightful cause: they, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , haters of God, and fighters against God and Christ. When the nations of the earth shall hear all the good that I do • nto thee, they shall fear and tremble, for all the goodness, and for all the prosperity that I procure unto thee. Saul seeing the Lord was with David, he was the more afraid of him: howsoever some men make no profitable and good use, in beholding God's mighty Actings for his people; nevertheless, afraid they are of such with whom they see God's presence, and appearance thus to be: As the Lord said of Noah and his sons, the fear of you, and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth: so there falls and lies a dread and fear upon these men, although (as Saul did David ) they hate them, and are enemies to them continually.

5. And in a word, they are afraid at God's tokens, what desolations he hath made in the earth. Who knows the power of thine anger; whilst they consider what others have suffered, for hyporisie, falsehood, cruelty, and other misdemeanors, they cannot but quake and tremble to think how the like wrath is pouring out now upon them; yea greater, deeper, heavier, being for hypocrisy and profaneness of life, far worse and viler than many Nations whom the Lord hath scattered and destroyed for such sins. Come and see the works of God, he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. Hear ye deaf, and look ye blind that ye may see.

Again, on the other hand, if they are the people, and it be the cause which the Lord loves and likes, and will defend, he will in Battle put courage and strength into them, None shall make them afraid, their heart is established, and they shall not be afraid until they see their desire upon their enemies: And no marvel, for the Lord JEHOVAH is their strength, a mighty and terrible God among them, working salvation in the mids of the earth. As one set on a high rock, or standing upon a sure and invincible Tower may look and laugh at all his enemies below, not caring what they can do possibly against him, how fiercely and furiously soever they assault him: so they, who have God for their rock and tower, though they walk in the valley of the shadow of death; though their enemies are two to one, yea ten to one, and have all the conveniencies, accommodations, and advantages that their hearts can wish: yet they need fear no evil; for he that takes their part with them that helps them, will let them see their desire upon them that hate them. This also cometh from THE LORD OF HOST which is wonderful in Counsel, and excellent in working.

9. If by the return of prayer we may learn anything of the mind of God: in this likewise we have a full and clear testimony given us, that the Lord loved us, and approved our Cause.

This thing his Excellency hath well observed: Did not you (saith he) solemnly appeal and pray? did not we so? and shall we after all these our prayers, fastings, tears, expectations and solemn Appeals, call these bare Events? The Lord pity you.

Some men are like little children, who cannot read unless it be in their own Book: what gracious Answers and special returns of prayer the Lord vouchsafes unto others; here they can see nothing of God, nothing of his power, goodness, justice, and faithfulness; nothing of his justifying and owning a righteous Cause, and his just displeasure against lying and falsehood: It is only a bare Event which they behold, and nothing else; to such gross darkness of heart are they given up, and delivered over.

It was a law among the Assyrians, that if any did fall sick, he should ask counsel of those, that had been visited with the like sickness, by what means and way they were recovered. If you ask of Moses, David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, when they fought against their Enemies (who were more in number, and mightier then they) how out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, subdued Kingdoms, and turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens: They would say, The Lord helped them, and delivered the enemies into their hands, because they made their supplications and prayers unto him.

When God purposeth to bestow any special favor upon his People, he moves their hearts before hand to pray for it: How the Lord prepared the heart, even filled the souls of many thousand precious people with the Spirit of Supplication, it is well known, and our Army found the strength, and fruit thereof, in the day of Battle. When we see Clouds over our heads, loden, and full with rain, we think it will not be long before the Earth receive the bless sing of it from God. He that had seen what fullness of God, what enlargement of the Spirit there was in Prayer for our Army, might through faith, have foreseen the Victory, and said, God will send SHOWRES OF BLESSING, a PLENTIFULL RAINE, Rain of Liberallities (as the Hebrew is) in giving Salvation to England. Men at Sea labor to bring themselves upon such Points, or Ports, as they may receive good Wind to bring them home. We know there is no King saved by the multitude of an Host, a mighty man is not delivered by much strength, an Horse is a vain thing for safety. The Battle is not man's, but God's; his right hand, and holy Arm, is the wind which brings us home, gets the Victory for us. And knowing this, our labor was, to bring our Army by Prayer, upon that Port, or Point, where we might see Jehovah riding upon the Wings of the Wind, girding our Army with strength in the day of Battail, and the Enemies as Chaff which the WIND driveth away.

Eusebius reports, that the Christians by prayer obtained lightning against their Enemies, and rain to refresh the Army. What less by Prayer obtained we, but on our part Victory, and great deliverance? Against the Enemy he sent out his Arrows, and scattered them; he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine Enemies turn back, this I know, for God is for me Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my Prayer, nor his mercy from me.

It is a rule in Art, and daily experience shows it, contraries placed together do mutually illustrate each other. That there was Prayer made for the success, and welfare of the Scots Army, Weeping and Supplications, upon the high places. A covering the Altar with Tears, with weeping, and with crying. I say, for their prosperity, and our overthrow, who knows it not. Women weeping for Tammuz, the Covenant I should have said. Now seeing the Lord, when they did cry, and shout, did shut out their Prayer, covered himself with a cloud, that their Prayer should not pass through: What should this signify? I shall forbear to give them mine own Opinion I desire they would lay their hands on their hearts, and speak truly, whither hence they have not just cause to think: that their Prayer became sin, or an abomination; or that the Lord was angry against it, or, he heard them not, because their hands were full of blood, and wrath, or regarded iniquity in their hearts, or, as it is said of the Hypocrite, Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? It is true, of some God speaks, Though they cry to him ( cry in his ears with a loud voice) he will not hearken to them. Though they seek him early, with much fasting, and spread forth their hands, he will hide his face from them. But who are these? not a national Church standing for the Holy Covenant, for the great cause of God, and Reformation, not men zealouslie earnest for the purity of divine worship, and Enemies to Idolatry, superstition, heresy, Schism, profaneness: No, the Prophets tell us otherwise: these were A sinful Nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, Rulers of Sodom, rebellious Princes, and Companions of theevs who hated the good, and loved the evil. Whose Prophets Prophecyed lies, the Lord sent them not, neither spake unto them: They Prophecyed to the people a false Vision and divination, a thing of naught, and the deceit of their own heart.

These people whose prayers God would not hear, and from whom he had hid his face, were an HYPOCRITICALL Nation, dissemblers in their heart. AN ASSEMBLY OF TREACHEROUS MEN, OF MOCKERS, such as would deceive every man his Neighbor, & would not speak the truth, but teach their Tongues to speak lies, and wearied themselves to commit iniquity. Sons, not of Jacob, but of the Sorceresse, Children of Transgression, a seed of falsehood, of the Adulterer, and of the Whore.

It is true, such a Nation the Lord would not hear, neither would his eye pity them; but did appoint them for Famine, Pestilence, Captivity, and the fearful Sword of War: But what then? Can it be shown in holy Scripture, that a pure Kirk, holding fast the Covenant of God, and having under hand the great work of Reformation, seeking God by fasting and Prayer, in a righteous and just cause, were not only denied of his presence and pretection, but left to the Sword of Heretics, and cruel persecutors to be devoured?

I remember I have read somwhere, that whilst Pompey prospered, and Rome flourished, Cato stoutly held and defended a divine providence; but when he saw Pompey overthrown by Caesar, his body cast upon the shore, without honor of Burial, and himself exposed to danger of Caesar's Army, he changed his Opinion, denying that there was any Divine providence, but all things set out by chance. The time was, when the Presbyterians, Scots, and English, spake much of Divine providence. In Victories and deliverances they could see much of God, I mean, when the Prelates were going down, and they thought to have had as great power to persecute; when like proud Haman, they thought that the seducing the men whom the Parliament would honor, and Mordecai and his people should be all destroyed, then indeed every victory and deliverance against the Kings party (in Books and Sermons ) must have a divine mark, and Character of God's presence; then it was the War of God, the Cause of God, yea, and confirmed to be so, by God's Actings, and appearances for us. But se • ng now their way (like Baal ) is like to plead for it self, sits upon a wooden horse, and must stand of it self, (as it will) if it be of God, with Cato they have changed their Opinion, nothing now but bare events, success 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 God's owning the Cause, were not by many degrees in several particulars, so eminent, and remarkable, as these are of whom we speak.

Now who can but pity the people thus deluded, and abused by these men? And what hath been the Snare on Mizpah, and the Net spread upon Tabor, the 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 Owl, and so the silly Birds, whilst they are staring about her, are taken. For what serves some men's sour faces, bowing down 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, hypocrisy, covered under the cloak of a holy Covenant, the cause of God, extirpation of Heresy, Schism, profaneness) they fall into the Net of destroying, and undoing themselves. 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 wickedness. Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated between you, and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear.

10. How exceedingly the Lord at this time appeared for us, and gave witness to the Justice of our Cause, will be the more perspicuous and clear, if former Victories, and deliverances be duly 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 loss) is now opposed.

It is true, the cause of God (this public righteous Cause which is now held forth by the Parliament of England ) hath found Enemies of several 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 Papistical, others prelatical, some Presbyterial) yet here they all center: and are one in malice, and revenge, in their design, and plot all one; as seeking everyone of them, the overthrow of this present Government.

A Painter being Commanded by the Turk to paint every Nation in his habit, 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 design, and plot is, of the Enemy (I mean) wherein they agree altogether against us: I could not do better (to have it truly understood) then to compare it to the naked Germain; for one while it hath upon it, Scarlet, or Royal Red, other while an Irish black; sometimes a Scotch 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 design still the same.

In this combination (saith the Parliament) the Popish, Prelatical, Profane, and Malignant Parties, stand behind the Curtain, and seemed for a season to be quite laid aside; that the cause of God, the Covenant, and work of Reformation, might bear 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 Bear (Royalists and Irish) the same God, by weak means delivered us from that insulting Enemy, who had defied the Army of the living God. If we hear one Cock Crow, and no more, there is some hope, and probability the day is breaking; but if all, it is taken for certain, and out of doubt. In many Victories which the Lord hath given us, so much hath appeared (being looked on, single, and a part) as we might hopefully say, England's great day of deliverance from the Tyranny of Kings, and Priests is at hand. But when we consider successes, and victories, everywhere (in England, in Ireland, in Scotland, ) so seasonable, and wonderful, as no other Nation almost hath ever heard, or been made partaker of: we should not glorify God in those great things which he doth for us, unless (believing his works) we did say, The Lord is creating England a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

If the Lord meant to • ill us, he would not have shown us all these things. That Jehovah walks in the midst of our C • 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 Councils, traitorous devises, and all endeavors of the Enemy, here and everywhere (whither Popish, prelatical, Irish, Scottish ) we see still, like Arrows they fall on their own heads; are not these things sufficient evidences, and demonstrations that the Lord takes our part? is, Immanuel, God with us, and with our cause? Surely let the Enemy, (like another Pharaoh ) harden himself, and in the time of his distress, trespass yet more against the Lord, as Ahaz did: Yet we for our parts, shall not be unbelieving, but believe, yea, and further be assured, from these present actings and appearances of God for us: that he will maintain this Cause of ours, against all Enemies, in spite of all their falsehoods, 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 tried every way (from place to place) what they could do against Israel, by their Sorceries and Enchantments; and perceiving all to be in vain, it is said, Balaam rose up, and went, and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way; doubtless as convinced 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 essays, and trials, and found no better success, yet have they not the understanding the others had, that is, to give over, and cease, as they did, and go everyone to his own home.

Balak brought Balaam up to the high places of Baal; so hath the Enemies design been brought unto the House of Baal. The Priests of Roome have built Altars, offered Sacrifices, and called upon their God's, their He Saints, and She Saints, for aid and assistance; and the Parliament of England by them hath been cursed with Bell, Book, and Candle. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. The Lord who sendeth his people help (not from the high places of Baal ) but from his Sanctuary, and supporteth them out of Zion, turned that curse, into a blessing, unto us. Besides, whatsoever the Baalimites could otherwise do (as the Pope, Cardinals, Jesuits, Monks, Friars, with the English Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Deans, Cannons, & the rest of that Viperous brood: ) either by their counsels, Policies, 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 Design hereby, was so far from being holpen, or effected, as this proved a means (the Lord's good hand so ordering it) of its greater fall and ruin. Truly in vain is Salvation hoped for from the Hills, and from the multitude of Mountains; truly in the Lord our God, is the Salvation of Israel, Isa. 3.23.

2. As Balak brought Balaam into the Field of Zophim, that is, of the Spies, or Scowt-watches: So the Enemies great cause, or design hath been here likewise witness; the Popish, prelatical, and Malignant party, who have watched 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 success, multitudes have made themselves ready to engage against the Parliament. What watching there hath been for iniquity, to slay the righteous; pretended to be for the Protestant Religion, Privileges of Parliament, and the liberty of the Subjects, now for the Covenant, and reformation, it is well known by what the blood-thirsty Irish, and desperate English Cavaliers, have often attempted; but he that sits in Heaven laughed them to scorn, so as their taking Counsels together their Associations, conspiracies, and insurrections, in City, and Country, was to them no otherwise then a Quagmire, or Irish-bog, the more they stirred, the deeper they sank, and faster they were. Mischiefe did fall upon them, and they were not able to put it off, and sudden desolation which they did not know. Our Army 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 attain his end by carrying Balaam unto the two former places, he brings him then unto the top of Peor, to Beth-Peor, the House, or Temple of his God, the Kirk in which his Idol was, the enemies design, their great cause (after they have wearied themselves to commit iniquity, and with their lies ) at length is brought to the holy place where (under color of Religion, and reformation ) it may be the more strengthened, and better carried forth. But as Solomon saith The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind. As the Lord here saw more dissimulation, Hypocrisy, falsehood, then on the high places of Baal, or Field of Zaphim, so doth the power of his anger the more appear; here the Lord will show himself that he hath not pleasure in wickedness, 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? Nevertheless he did see their falsehood, and juggling (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 saith in Job, The Congregations of Hypocrites shall be desolate. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy Judgments.

Two things I find more acted at Beth-Peor.

First, Balaam's wicked Doctrine, who Counnselled Balak to lay a Stumbling-block before the Children of Israel, whereby they might be occasioned to rebel against the Lord, and so destroyed.

2 Balak’s 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, helped him not. O Lord how manifold are thy works, in wisdom thou hast made them all. What was that Declaration which the Scots lately counseled their King to set forth, but Balaam's Doctrine, a stumbling block, a snare, a pit? For what was the main drift, and scope thereof: but rebellion against God, and man; namely to have the English rise up in Arms 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 design 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 German again with Red, and Black: as making use no more of the Blew: for he sees the Covenant so ominous, and unhappy, as no design 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 comest 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, in acting their Designes, or cause alike. Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up, yet they shall fear, and be ashamed together.

I should now speak 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 saith, 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 own and justify one man's 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 carnal reason, is here brought in, denying God's providence, and framing an Objection thus. If things here below were ordered and administered by a just, and wise God, some distinction then, would be seen between men, and men, in order to their condition, and events of things; but wicked men, and such whose cause is sinful, and unjust prosper, and have as great success 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 maintain, to darken the glory of God, shining forth in his works. But,

2. Admit another interpretation, nevertheless, by these words, All things come alike to all, &c. It cannot be meant, as if nothing could be gathered from God's dispensations in the World, or that Events, and successes prove nothing: for such a sense is a plain contradiction unto other Scriptures. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, his face is against them that do evil, 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 Sodom, and gave up the Sodomites to be burnt with fire, and brimstone: brought Israel safe through the red Sea, and left the Egyptians 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 success, which the Lord gave Noah, Lot, and the Israelites, it did appear (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 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, Thou understandest the sight of God to be general 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 God's pow er, justice, goodness: 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 special, 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 sign 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 speak nothing) to sing the Song of Moses: Great and marvelous 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 success, or event ) when the 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 success 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 between person and person, Cause and Cause. But what cannot men do ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) by wit and art, as to make 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 do, 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: he that would learn to wrest the Scripture, needs not seek any further Counsel then here; for if he cast in his hook where these Divers are, he may be sure they will fit him with fish to the purpose, a subtle device and trick whereby to mock God, and destroy his own soul.

5. Sometime the event or success 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 staff in the water, and it will seem 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 an unrighteous Cause so coloured and cloak'd, with such titles of Truth, piety, Religion, God's worship, &c. as some (deceived thereby) may think the same to be just and good.

When Jannes and Jambres, (two Egyptian 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 appear? and those satisfied or convinced which were concerned therein? Truly by the Event or Suc •• sse; that is, he Lord making them Conquerors, and giving them the victory who had the just and rightful Cause. That • aul by his calumniations, lies, flatteries, and other deceitful practices, 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 clear, by many passages and expressions of David in the Psalms. But the Success and Event cleared David, and justified his Cause: as how? to wit, by the many wonderful and seasonable deliverances which David had by the Lord's mighty appearing, and working salvation for him with an high hand: On the contrary (is not destruction to the wicked, 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 witness, what for a man he was, and how un •• righteously he had dealt with David.

It is true, (and I know it to be so) that the Parliament of England's Cause, in reference to the public Enemies of this Common-wealth (by what name or title soever) hath been proved sufficiently to be a Just Cause, even th • Cause of GOD, both by the law of God, of Nature, and Nations: As for instance, The putting to death the late KING, the laying aside the House of LORD'S, 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: nevertheless, some envying the good we have, because it came not to us by them: Others perceiving that their private profits and interests must go down, and lie in the dust, if public Good be set up, and prosper; hereupon, they consult together, and are Confederates: and what can be done by fraud, or falsehood, or any way, they seek to attempt. Yea, such are the depths of Satan, and mystery of iniquity, now working to deceive everywhere, and everyone; as that the just and righteous Cause of the Parliament, is questioned by some, denied 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 find themselves now shut out from the g • infull trade formerly they had, and unwarranble ways to deceive and 〈◊〉 the people in soul, purse, and person.

But the Lord, whose ways and judgments are all •••• 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 asp •• ng 〈◊〉 with Treason, Usurpation, Oppression, Fraud, &c. comes forth in behalf of it: and as he did for Moses against the Magicians, for Elias against Baals Prophets, and for David against Saul: so doth he for us, (or rather for his great name ) gives such such glorious Successes, and most remarkable Events to this Cause everywhere, that unless men did willfully shut their eyes, or made themselves blind through malice, pride, covetousness, &c. they might see as clearly as they do the sun shining at noon 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 War prove nothing in respect of the Cause, whether it be just or unjust.

Answ. 1. Some men's tongues are like a mill that is loose hung, keeps a mighty crackling, but grinds no corn. This example of the Benjamites I hear is much talked of; and as David said of Goliath's sword, there is none like that: So some say, there is none to this, it cannot be answered. But how far this is from that rule, simpliciter ad simpliciter, inconsistent to the matter they bring it for; and to what they apply it, will appear, by putting it into form; for thus it must be, if it be anything. If GOD sometimes (for reasons known to himself) 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 whatsoever assistance he gives a people in Battle, what Victory and Deliverance soever they have: in what manner or way soever he appears for them, and against their Enemies: Nothing by the Success or Event can be gathered, concerning the justice of the Cause, on whose side it is.

A simple Reader, without help of School-learning, may easily see the vanity and absurdity of such reasoning. Suppose I would argue thus; there is not any light that shows a distinction or difference between day and night; and to prove this assertion: I instance, that neither the Moon-light, Star-light, or Candle-light doth it, or can do it: But thou wilt say, by the shining light of the Sun, the day is known from the night. Canst thou find out the depth and subtlety of this argument? look over then upon the other, it's the very same in Mood and Figure: because that Light or Appearance of God which is like Moon-light, proves not the day or Cause; therefore the greater light will not do it: not the sun, not the highest and most glorious shinings of God.

2. That the Benjamites had an ill Cause, and yet in Battle overthrew the Israelites two several times, we grant: which might be to humble the one, and harden the other; but here the main and essential part, to make the comparison hold between this Example, and the thing whereto they apply it, is altogether wanting. We do not say that Victories and Successes (barely considered) prove a good Cause; but this we say, such may be the Actings and Appearances of God for a People, so wonderful may be their Victories and Deliverances, as thereby it doth infallibly appear, the LORD his owning and justifying their Cause.

For the Victories which the Benjamites had, there is nothing appears in them, of any special divine presence; no remarkable foot-steps of God's walking in their Camp: not one thing in the History, witnessing a singular and transcendent love of God towards them. Whereas our Victories all along, in England, Ireland, and Scotland, have had most apparent evidences of God's especial presence with us: we have seen his Goings in our Army before us, and our salvation hath been wrought for us, by an extraordinary powerful hand: and therefore unless they show us, that the LORD was with the Benjamites, in the same manner he was with us, and gave them the like victory, in the circumstances and several particulars, which we had over the Scots. In mentioning this example, as they show their great perverseness against the works of God, and implacable malice to us; so it only serves (and we cannot imagine for what other use and end they bring it) then to darken the glory of God, and deceive simple people.

Object. 3. Many have been great Conquerors (as the Chaldeans, Assyrians, Romans ) howbeit wicked men, and their Cause sinful and unjust: Ergo, Victories and Successes in War prove nothing.

Answ. That this Objection may be capable of answer, there are 3. things to be cleared.

1. Whether men, howsoever wicked, may not have just cause to fight, and therein the Lord to take their part.

2. How it doth appear, that when their Cause was unjust, that the Lord then gave them good success.

3. But if so, then where is it recorded that wicked men in sinful and unrighteous Causes have had the assistance and help of GOD, in as full and large manner, and way, as we have had.

I have now done for this time; and as I am upon closing, I remember how the Clown served Aristides; who giving his voice to the banishing of Aristides, and being asked of him unknown, whether he knew him against whom he had given his voice, answered that he knew him not, but it was trouble to him to hear him termed a just man.

It may well be, that some (who know me not) will give their voice against me, for what I have now done, but they must be such then, as are troubled to hear of justice, of an honorable and righteous Cause. This just Cause I have indeed here pleaded, and in the Second Part (by the good hand of God assisting me) will plead it more: to the satisfaction of all such as love the present Government, and desire the prosperity and peace of this Common-wealth.