Lancashires Valley of Achor is Englands Door of Hope, Part 2
The remarkable Paſſages were theſe.
A Reverend and grave Divine, who had long been a bleſſing to the Town, and had ſeen a reſurrection of it from the Plague, nigh fourty yeers before, was lifted up from the gates of death, and raiſed in the Spirit to promote this Work.
A ſpirit of Piety and Devotion in Prayers and ſinging of Pſalms reſted generally upon perſons and families, yea Taverns and Innes, where it might not put in the head formerly. As when David in his trouble went and dwelt with Samuel at Najoth in Ramah, the Spirit of Prophecie came upon Sauls Meſſengers, the firſt, ſecond, and third time, and upon Saul himſelf. Davids ſpirit reſted upon his enemies, when God will have him to reſt. They ſay, The Parliament hath made many Converts; but here Papiſts and Atheiſts, and prophane, made many Converts, no better yet, then Parliament Converts. Many of them have proved practicall Arminians, practiſing falling from Grace; ſo many of our Souldiers and people have been worſe ſince, then in the Siege.
A Gentleman imployed in the Service (not ſo religious as were to be wiſhed) profeſſed he had ſeen much of God, and hoped it would do him good ſo long as he lived: Friends told him he wanted Armour; He anſwered, He ſaw Gods protection was in ſtead of Armour.
September 30. reported, That the Cheſhire Trained-Band brought into Stock-port, under the command of Maſter Leigh of Adlington, had promiſed one another not to go over Lancaſhire-Bridge. And his own Tenants Petitioned, They might be excuſed from this Service.
Twelve men, the Butt of enemies before, and friends behinde, were Shot-free from both.
The greateſt hurt they did was by fire, and that to one conceived to be too good a friend of theirs. They lodged with him, in a place (if report lye not) free for all manner of ſin, A faire houſe called, the Lodge.and before their departure payed a good round reckoning in ſmoke and aſhes, ſince which a cooler fire tooke downe their lodging.
A neighbour in imminent danger, had emnient preſervation; five of the Earls Souldiers came to the houſe where he was, he ſeeing their approach, thought a chamber was fitter then the houſe; foure purſue him to his hiding place; three of them drew their ſwords, ſwearing to ſlit out his heart; the fourth, having a Musket, reſolved to do the execution; God ſends up the fifth, in the nick of time, who in his comming up, moved the Muſquet-man, and removed the mouth of the diſcharging Muſquet to another White, one of their owne company, whom God gave in ranſome for this man appointed to die.
Three neighbours returning from Mancheſter home, were purſued by a Troope of Horſe: one of them was taken and wounded by part of the Troope. Another part continue their purſuit of the other two: one of them caſts a ſhoe: yet by the enemies miſſing the way once or twice, and caſting a ſhoe alſo, and one telling them they were a mile before, when the enemy was hard at their heels, they eſcaped, and the taken and wounded was reſcued by the Bill-men.
It was obſerved, That Chriſtians nearer and further off, were united in one argument of ſupport; viz. That God had not muſtered his precious ſervants, from all adjacent parts, in Mancheſter, to ſhut them up into the hands of the enemy, but rather to ſhew them his ſalvation.
Thus we leave Mancheſter, compaſſed about with ſongs of deliverance, keeping (I beleeve) a more waking gladſome Sabbath, October 2. the day after their releaſe, then of many yeeres before, compaſſing the Throne of ſo great Grace with high ſounding praiſes, with the Souldiers, as they could, October 3. and more ſolemnely October 6. when our Drums and Muskets, that had formerly ſounded terrour to our enemies, kept ſilence in the Church, whileſt the Saints ſung the Song of Moſes, and when their time and turn came to utter their voice in the open aire, with a loud voice and one conſent, clapping their hands apace, they reported God fearfull in praiſes, working wonders.
Though the Devil let paſſe the Munday Thankſgiving, which was more confuſed, yet he was ill pleaſed, and laboured to marre the mirth of Thurſday-Thankſgiving, which was intended to be more Orderly, and Solemne. An Alarm was given October 5. that they were coming againſt the Town the ſecond time. This bred ſome diſquiet, but ſerved to awake unto, and to ſweeten the following day of Thankſgiving, which was kept without diſtraction, bleſſed be God. This falſe Alarm repeated October 10. God advantaged to lay a Garriſon in the Town, which God intended to uſe for offence, as well as defence, as will afterward appear.
About October the eleventh, ſome Powder coming from the South to Mancheſter, was ſtayed by the Kings Forces, but ſome came ſafe from the North, from Hull, the fourteenth of October. The two and twentieth day, ſtore of Powder came in, and the foure and twentieth day ſome coming was ſtayed. The joy of this laſt ſupply, was ſadly tempered with the accidentall, but mortall, wound of a skilfull and active Souldier.
When God had thus gloriouſly appeared in Salford-Hundred, the firſt and forwardeſt Hundred, he went and diſplayed his Banner in Blackburne-Hundred, that onelyonly other Hundred in the Countie, that appeared in the ſame Cauſe.