Lancashires Valley of Achor is Englands Door of Hope, Part 1
The ſeverall Temptations that ſtraightned this Siege, with their preſent and proper Iſſues, were,
The Temptation. 1. The unskilfulneſſe of Commanders and Souldiers, being bred and educated in a land of Peace, where no enemy was left (as ſometimes in Iſrael) to teach them warre. They knew not to take advantage, or prevent diſadvantage: They were fit to hurt themſelves, and one another, as they did. And that very day the enemy appeared, hearts were down, becauſe their number to man their works was no greater.
The Iſſue. But when God put the work into their hands, he put in skill, Pſal. 144.1. If ever it were given a people in that houre how to do, both hands and skill, now was the time. So that in a ſhort time (even to admiration, men of all callings were skilfull, ready Fire-men. And on that five and twentieth of September came in new and conſiderable Forces: whereupon the ſouldiers thanked God and took courage.
The Temptation. 2. What the enemy cannot do by force, he will do by fraud, he ſets fire on poor houſes, and rich barnes (any thing to advance the Catholique Cauſe) hoping by the light of the fire, and darkneſſe of the ſmoke, to ſee to hit, and … be hid from ſhot. Fire is a cruell Lord, and dreadfull object to freſh and low-water ſouldiers. The winde blowes right to help the enemy, to heat and blinde the aſſaulted. And now fire to fire: a fierce aſſault, to a flaming fire, will deſtroy all oppoſition.
The Iſſue. Faith, that ſometimes quenched the violence of fire, did no leſſe now. It quenched the violence of feare in our ſouldiers, the zeale of the Work conſumed them, whileſt the fire conſumed the buildings. And though the fire heated our men to ſtrive for the Wall, and to give the more ready fire, yet the ſmoke did not hide their enemies. And when the winde had blowne ſo long againſt us, that we might be ſenſible of a Turn, he that gathereth the winde in his fiſts apparantly turned it to our advantage.
The Temptation. 3. They had a Towne of advantage. Salford is open, affords them entertainment and aſſiſtance, proves their ſtalking-horſe, brings them neere, and gives them ſhelter; faceth us, and opens them a back-door. God complains of his evil neighbours, Jer. 12.14.
The Iſſue. They ſought help by fire; God helped us by water. The rain poured down, raiſed the water, and parted the Army, neerer neighbours then Mancheſter and Salford. They fought from heaven, the Stars in their courſes fought againſt Siſera. The river Kiſhon ſwept them away, the ancient river, the river Kiſhon, Judges 5.20, 21. Hither they came, to lay their dead in ſight, and to let them lie with ſhame. The Canonneer had much adoe to Charge, and more adoe to Diſcharge. If they peeped out of the houſes, they were unhouſed.
The Temptation. 4. They had meanes of advantage, many roaring, thundering, terrifying Canons, we had but one ſmall Peece. We have heard the report of them, and our hands waxed feeble.
The Iſſue. The Canons did but play, they did no work, no execution. They had no Commiſſion but to ſtrike thorow houſes, which could neither bleed nor weepe: OnelyOnly one Lad ſtood in their way, who was out of his own way, and (as they ſay) timely prepared by his wickedneſſe for ſuch a ſtroke. It was a wonder to ſee when they came into an houſe, what haſte they made out, as afraid there to ſtay: and how ſtrictly they kept their Lane, leſt by turning aſide, they ſhould harme any in the houſe. Surely the joynt praiſes of Gods rejo…cing people; as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, Rev. 14.2. did drowne the noiſe, and remove the terrour of the Canons.
The Temptation. 5. Though the enemies fire was quenched, and the force of their Canons broken, yet we wanted fewell, Match failed, and Powder grew ſcarce.
The Iſſue. He that could finde ſo many Souldiers when there was none, was not to ſeeke for one Match-maker in time of need. He findes a Common-Souldier, and makes him to finde Match.
Some Malignants houſes contributed Powder, and ſome Marched to Mancheſter from neighbour places, in the face of the enemy, who looked and fled; and againe looked and fled: They ſaw it, and ſo they marvelled, they were troubled and haſted away, fear took hold upon them there, Pſal. 48.5, 6.
The Temptation. 6. Though we be ſupplied with Match and Powder, yet we ſhall be overcome with waking, we want reſt, and cannot finde it.
The Iſſue. God gives his beloved reſt. To that end he moves the Lord to found for a Parley. Upon which, a Ceſſation of Armes is concluded, from five at Night till ſeven in the Morning, that our men might reſt, and be refreſhed. And ere this releaſe came, God (that can nouriſh without meat) gave reſt without ſleep. He held their eyes open, and created new ſpirits! They waked and watched from ſtrength to ſtrength. They that wait upon the Lord ſhall change their ſtrength, as a man doth his ſuit, to fit a new occaſion, Iſa. 40.31.
The Temptation. 7. This new bodily reſt may ſerve to ſtrengthen a reſtleſſe minde. It is now harveſt time, our Corn, the livelyhood and ſubſiſtence of our families, is in the field, ripe and groaning for the ſickle.
The Iſſue. Whileſt the Siege laſted againſt Mancheſter, the heavens held a ſimpathy with the well-affected in and about Mancheſter: God melted them into a wet and weeping frame. There was little harveſt weather that week: Which did evidence, the work of Gods people, did not now lie in the Field, but in the Town, in the Barn. It was not reaping work, but threaſhing work: Gods work was to Inne the Corn, their work to Threſh it: He ſhall gather them as the ſheaves into the floor; Ariſe and threſh, Micah 4.12, 13.
The Temptation. 8. We are defending the Town, and the Cavalliers are Plundering our houſes, or at leaſt we leave wife, children, and eſtate to their mercy. What portion have we in Mancheſter? every man to his Tent.
The Iſſue. O peace, private ſpirit. The people in Nehemiahs time had a minde to work, Nehem. 4.6. a ſtrong minde; and therefore the diſcouragements of the ill-affected could not weaken their hands. Mancheſter-work was publique work; and the ſpirit of the work did generally reſt upon the people: Sometimes Foot, ſometimes Horſe iſſued out, and drove in the Plunderers. Sometimes the Countrey Spirit, guarded with Bills, and Staves, and …ick-forks, roſe to that height, that it ſubjected horſe and man, to the wonder of the Cavaliers. Some houſes were ſafe, others willing to ſuffer the leſſe, to ſave the greater.
The Temptation. 9. Some, ſenſible of the danger of neighbour-Villages, that had emptied all their defenſive power into Mancheſter, made motion that their lent aſſiſtance might be looſed for home, and neighbour defence, againſt the wilde and wandering Horſe. This motion ſeemed reaſonable, and by conſequent, the defence of the Town unreaſonable.
The Iſſue. When this Reaſon came to be handled, it proved a ſhadow, and ſoon vaniſhed. Neare home this motion felt heavy, but abroad, where greater matters were in hand, it was found light. Private and particular intereſts are wrapped up in the Publique, not ſo much publique, in private. Heere the remembrance of Parliamentary ingagement, and an honourable eſteem of the Publique Faith did no little availe.
The Temptation. 10. But after all, there is an uncertaine blaſt of the ſpirit of Faith and Co…rage in our Leaders, being in the infancie of the Work; and not diſcerning (as afterward) that God had raiſed them up to be Saviours on mount Zion. This was Davids ſin, when he had eſcaped ſo many dangers, and was now out of purſuit, (for Saul ſought no more after him, 1. Sam. 27.4.) yet he could not beleeve his ſafet…e, but feared, (though he had long eſcaped, yet) he ſhould at laſt be taken, 1 Sam. 27.1. We may ſooner be free from trouble, then beleeve we are free. Troubles may come and go, but ſin will ſtick faſt.
The Iſſue. God kept up the Souldiering ſpirit, by Prayers and Pſalms, mutuall encouragement, and the blaſt of the Silver Trumpets (the Miniſters of God) ſounded by a Divine breath. When the Temptation was at higheſt, and their ſpirits at the loweſt, that very night ſomething ſhould have been done by man, to have undone, in a few houres, all that God had been doing in a week (that man might be humbled, and God the more magnified) the tide of our oppreſſion turned. They moved homewards, both ſides were in deſpaire, we would have manifeſted ours, but God hid it; They hid theirs in the Night, but the Morning brought it to light.