Sermon before Houses of Parliament — Matthew Newcomen

Sermon before Houses of Parliament · Matthew Newcomen

A Sermon preached before both Houſes of Parliament at their extraordinary ſolemne Faſt, Sept. 12. 1644.

JOSHUA 7.10, 11.

And the Lord ſaid unto Joſhua, Get thee up; wherefore lieſt thou thus upon thy face?

Iſrael hath ſinned, and hath alſo tranſgreſſed my Covenant which I commanded them.

The Introduction. HOw well this Text ſuites this Day, this Aſſembly, and the Occaſion of it; I perſwade my ſelf there is none here but upon the firſt reading underſtands. The Lord grant that the handling of theſe words may be as profitable, as the Scripture it ſelfe is ſeaſonable.

In the former verſes of this Chapter you have a ſad ſtory, to which ours is this day paralell, I had almoſt ſaid in too great a meaſure; but I lay my hand upon my mouth, becauſe thou Lord haſt done it, who doth all things in meaſure;

But in the Story of this Chapter you may read our

Calamity, &

Dutie.

In the fifth verſe you have a people, Gods people, Iſrael, ſmitten, ſcattered, troden downe; before their enemies, Gods enemies. That's our Calamitie.

In the ſixth, ſeventh, and eighth verſes you have Joſhua and the Elders expreſſing a pious ſenſe of this breach that God had made upon them. The Multitude poſſibly might miſcarry under this hand of God; they might fall into their accuſtomed diſcontents, or ſinke under diſcouragements, as it is ſaid ver. 5. The hearts of the people melted, and became as water. But as for Joſhua and the Elders, Men of more Noble and Religious ſpirits, their demeanour is gratious, and humble, and holy, And Joſhua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face (he and the Elders of Iſrael with him, ver. 6.) and poures out his heart before the Lord in words expreſſing a ſorrow too big for any words to expreſſe, ver. 8. Oh Lord what ſhall I ſay when Iſrael turneth their backes before their enemies? as if he had ſaid: Lord, this is the ſaddeſt thing, the ſaddeſt Token of thy diſpleaſure! The thoughts of it amaze, overwhelme me: I know not what to ſay: O Lord! what ſhall I ſay? O that we had ſuch a grieved and burthened heart as Joſhua had when he ſpake theſe words! Surely this is our Dutie, to have our hearts filled with the ſence of that hand of God that is gone out againſt us: and in the ſenſe thereof to abaſe our ſelves before the Lord. To the performance of this Duty we are met this day, the Lord help us in it; yet that's not all: there is a further Duty God cals for at our hands; and that the words of my Text lead us to:The ſenſe of the words. And the Lord ſaid unto Joſhua, Get thee up, wherefore liest thou upon thy face? Iſrael hath ſinned, &c.

Our Engliſh expreſſion, Get thee up, ſounds more harſh then either the Originall or other Tranſlations, foreign: Illud quid hoc tis proſtratus jaces infaciem tuan? non eſt objurgantis, au… precandi Ritum illum reprehendentis: quo ritu Chriſtus ipſe uſus eſt: ſed jamdudum ſe paratum eſſe ſignificantis ad opitulandum. Ma…us ad locum. Non eſt ignorantis, aut inquirentis, aut arguentis vox iſta, ſed inſinuantis, quod nō ſufficit ſupplicare, ſed alio opus eſſe Remedio. Cajetan. ad locum. q. d. Surge: Noli te diutius affligere; Scio quid velis, faciam que ut ſcias quid facto ſit opus ad cladem, à tuis acceptam reſarciendam. Ego enim cor tuum contritum, & humiliatum, deſpicere nequeo, ſed benignè aspicerè à meâ pietate quaſi cogor. C. à Lapide ad locum.Which words are not words of Inquirie, God doth not demand of Joſhua the reaſon why he lay at his feet in this ſad poſture; Joſhua had given him an account of that already in his Prayer. And God knew it even before he prayed. Nor are they words of Rebuke and Increpation. But rather words of Advice and Direction; God doth here as it were with a hand of Grace and Mercy lift up Joſhua from the earth where he lay groveling, and ſaith thus, Ariſe, Joſhua, afflict thy ſelfe no longer, I know what thy Deſire is, and I will let thee know what thy Dutie is, there is ſomewhat to be done which yet thou thinkeſt not on; Get thee up, Joſhua, wherefore lieſt thou on thy face? Iſrael hath ſinned.

In the words you may pleaſe to obſerve ſomething that God tooke notice of in Joſhua: The Diviſion.and ſomething that God gave notice of to Joſhua.

The thing that God tooke notice of in Joſhua was the Deepe ſence he had of the hand of God againſt Iſrael in the late diſaſter that befell their Army: under which he lay confounded, aſtoniſhed at the feet of God. This in the firſt words. The Lord ſaid unto Joſhua, Ariſe, wherefore lieſt thou upon thy face?

The thing which God gave notice of to Joſhua was the ſinne that Iſrael had committed which was the Cauſe of this Diſaſter. Iſrael hath ſinned, and hath alſo tranſgreſſed my Covenant which I commanded them.

Obſerv. 1 with The Proofe.From the firſt of theſe I commend this to your Obſervation. That when a Diſaster befals the Armies of Iſrael, it well becomes a generous Gratious heart to be deeply affected with it.

I ſay, when a Diſaſter befals the Armies of Iſrael, for this here it was not a Diſcomfiture, it was but a Diſaſter: a Party of about three thouſand beaten, ver. 4. and about ſix and thirty men ſlaine in the fight, and in the Chaſe, ver. 5. What's that in an Army of ſix hundred thouſand men of warre? That was Iſraels Number at their laſt Muſter. Numb. 26.51. Some Nimrod, ſome Cyclops would have thought this an inconſiderable loſſe, a blow not worth the taking notice of. But Joſhua, though as gallant and daring a ſpirit as any the Earth had, he thinkes not ſo: he thinks that this cals him and the reſt of the Elders of Iſrael (what ever others doe) to rend their Clothes, and put duſt upon their heads, and in the mournfulleſt plight that may be to poure out their Prayers and Teares before the Lord: O Lord! what ſhall I ſay?

So when the Children of Iſrael were ſmitten before Benjamin, though that was not ſuch a diſcomfiture, but they were able to rally themſelves againe, and renew the fight a ſecond and third time, and at length got the victory by fine force; yet All the people went up and wept before the Lord. Judg. 20. Once and a ſecond time, and the ſecond time they wept and faſted untill Even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings unto the Lord. ver. 26. This a Diſaster will worke.

But a Rout, a Diſcomfiture? what an Impreſſion that will make in a Gratious holy heart, ſee in that mournfull Story 1 Sam. 4. where you ſhall ſee how the Tidings of Iſraels diſcomfiture and ſlaughter broke the heart of Reverend and Honourable Eli. There comes a Meſſenger from the Army with very ſad Tidings. ver. 17. Iſrael is fled before the Philiſtims, and there hath been alſo a great ſlaughter: and thy two ſons Hophni and Phineas are ſlaine: and the Arke of God is taken. Every Inciſum of this Meſſage gives a ſtab, a wound to his gratious heart; and no ſooner is the ſtory ended, but his life is ended too. Iſrael is fled before the Philiſtims; there's One wound. And there hath beene a great ſlaughter among the people; there's a ſecond wound. And thy two ſonnes Hophni and Phineas are ſlaine; there's a third wound. And the Arke of the Lord is taken; there's a fourth, a Deaths wound that diſpatcheth him. He can now live no longer: It came to paſſe when he made mention of the Ark of God, he fell from off the ſeat backward. I could encline to think that theaPramaereris magnitudine obtenebratus ſenior cecidit de ſell iuxta Januā & contriū eſt dorſācius. Chryſoſ. Inquiri po est utrū Nuntius de captivitate Arcae fuit adaequata Cauſa mort… Eli. ita ut ill… audito repeni… in…riit, & postea cecidi…, & cervices freg…ri…, an potius, &c. …rior modus mihi non videtur imprebabilis Mendoza ad locum. …d…lile est ipſum ſic voluiſſe mori. Ma…. Non crepta vita, … mori ei videtur. Cicero. fall of Iſrael had broke his heart, before the fall from his ſeat brake his Neck, and kill'd him as much or more then his owne fall. Good man unhappy in his Government, unhappy in his ſons, happy only in this that he died with griefe for the Iſrael and Ark of God: ſo deeply was his tender gratious heart affected with the diſaſter of Iſraels Army.

Reaſons. Firſt, ſome proportion of ſuch like affection might well become every tender and gratious heart in ſuch occaſions. Firſt, Becauſe every gratious heart, (and indeed every generous heart, every man that hath not the heart of an Atheiſt in him) knowes, that when a diſaſter befals the Iſrael of God in their Armies, it is a ſigne that God is diſpleaſed with his people. Every diſaſter that befals their Armies, is a check, a frowne, a rebuke from God, a token of his diſpleaſure, and therefore a gratious heart cannot ſtand under it: This is it perplexeth Joſhua here. Alas the death of 36. men it had been nothing: The ſlaughter of 36000. it had been nothing, had their Army yet had the favour of God upon them. But God is angry; Joſhuah's tender heart can feele it in this lighter ſtroake as well as if the blow had been heavier, God is angry, therefore Iſrael cannot ſtand before their enemie, therefore Joſhua cannot ſtand before the Lord, but falls at his feet ſaying, ô Lord what ſhall I ſay unto thee? And whom would not this become? whom would not this become? when God ſhewes himſelfe angry with his people, to ſhew themſelves deepely ſenſible of it, to cloath themſelves with trembling and with mourning, whom would it not become? I am ſure it would become us this day, the Lord helpe us ſo to doe.

Secondly, When any diſaster befalls the Armies of Iſrael, it well becomes a generous gratious heart to be deeply affected with it; becauſe diſaſters in the Armies of Iſrael are of very ſad conſequence. This Joſhua had his eye upon, and this his heart was affected with, as you may ſee, ver. 9. For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the Land ſhall heare of it, and ſhall inviron us round, and cut off our name from the earth; and what wilt thou doe to thy great Name. There are two things mentioned as the ſad conſequence of this diſaſter. Firſt, The increaſe of rage and courage againſt the Iſrael of God that this would occaſon to their enemies. The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the Land ſhall heare of it, and ſhall environ us round, and cut off our name from off the earth. One diſaſter will make thoſe to whom Iſrael was before terrible, reſume new courage, and enter into new confederacies, and nothing will now ſatisfie but utter extirpation; cutting off the name of Iſrael from the earth. In this reſpect; it well becomes a generous gratious heart, as he tenders the good and wellfare of the Iſrael of God, to be deepely affected with ſuch diſaſters.

Thirdly, And as ſuch diſaſters increaſe the rage of the enemies againſt the Iſrael of God, ſo againſt the God of Iſrael himſelf: this is intimated in the laſt words of the ninth verſe, and what wilt thou doe unto thy great Name? as if Joſhua had ſaid. Lord, though our name were cut off from the earth for ever it were no matter; But ô the reproach, the ſcorne that theſe uncircumciſed ones will caſt upon thy great and dreadfull Name! ô to heare the enemies inſulting, where is your God that brought you up out of the Land of Egypt, where are all thoſe mighty wonders which he wrought at the Red Sea and in the Land of Ham, &c. Joſhuah knew that theſe would be the darings, this the language of the enemies, and his gratious heart cannot beare it: ô what wilt thou doe to thy great Name? If then in the diſaſters of an Army, we may ſee that God is provoked, and fore-ſee that the glory of God and the ſafety of his people is much endangered; we may conclude, It well becomes a generous gratious heart to be much affected with ſuch diſaſters.

Application of it. The Application of this Truth is eaſie. It may let you ſee, Right Honourable and Beloved, how well this mourning praying poſture into which you have caſt your ſelves this day becomes you,For Information. and how fit it is, that though the whole body of this people cannot upon ſo ſhort a warning (and ſome it may be will not) yet that You who are to England as the*Senes Iſrael intelligit Iudices Magni Syne. drii quibus praecrat eo tempore Ioſua. Deuſ. ad difficil. Loca Ioſuae. Elders were to Iſrael, the Governours and Repreſenters of the whole Nation, ſhould for your ſelves and for the Nation whom you repreſent, in this ſolemne manner to teſtifie your humble and deepe ſence of the hand of God upon his people in that diſaſter that hath befallen our Army in the Weſt. God hath ſmitten our Army; ſhall not we ſmite our hearts? our Army is broken: will not a broken heart now become us? Our Forces are brought low; ſhall not we endeavour that our hearts may be ſo too? If her father had ſpit in her face (ſaith God to Moſes concerning Miriam, Num. 12.15.) ſhould ſhe not be aſhamed ſeven dayes? ô how many dayes would it become us to beare the ſhame of that rebuke that God hath given us. Thou haſt caſt off and put us to ſhame, and goeſt not forth with our Armies: Thou makeſt us to turne our backe from the enemies, and they that hate us ſpoile for themſelves, was the ſorrowfull complaint of the Church of old, Pſal. 44 9, 10. and may be ours this day. The Lord help us to beare this indignation in a right manner, and to mourne aright under it.

So farre as my poore obſervation enables me to judge, This is the ſaddeſt rebuke that God hath given us ſince the firſt beginning of this action: and therefore calls for as ſad hearts this day as ever we brought with us into the preſence of our God. Sure I am that what ever there was in this diſaſter which befell the Army of Iſrael, that might be matter of greefe and conſternation to Joſhua and Iſraels Elders, the ſame is in this diſaſter that hath befallen us, and calls for the like affection in men of Noble, generous, gracious ſpirits, ſuch as you are.

1. Did Joſhua plainly ſee the anger of the Lord in their diſaster? we may (if we be not blind) ſee the ſame in ours much more. The wound, the breach that God hath made upon us by this diſaſter, is deeper, wider. Theirs was but the loſſe of 36. Men, Ours the diſſipation of a Brave, Gallant, hopefull Army: An Army that was ſent out with ſolemne faſting and prayer, and ſince they came to be in the ſtreights wherein they unhappily miſ-carried, were ſolemnely againe ſought of God by fasting and prayer: And yet this Army loſt; and loſt in a weeke of faſting and prayer, that hath uſed to be a weeke of deliverances, victorys, mercies: Can you thinke of this, and not thinke God angry? even with our prayers as well as with our Armies; And can we thinke God angry, and not fall at his feet every one of us with Joſhua, and cry ô Lord what ſhall I ſay unto thee?

2. Were there any circumſtances accompanying this diſaſter, that might make it yet more grievous unto Joſhua and the Elders? and doe not the ſame circumſtances accompany ours? It was indeed*Omnia ſubita videntur majora. Cicer. Praecogitati mali molli… ictus venit. Senec. an unexpected blow, a blow that Joſhua did neither feare nor fore-ſee; this made it the heavyer. 1. Joſhua knew the Cauſe he managed by the ſword was good: God owned it and warranted him in the proſecution of it. 2. He had lately received a teſtimony of Gods favour towards it before the walls of Jericho. 3. And this was the firſt time that ever the Armies of Iſrael under the conduct of Joſhua, turned their backs before their enemies. This makes him amazed, it is ſuch a thing as never was before: ô Lord what ſhall I ſay (ſaith he) when Iſrael turneth their backs before their enemies? And that 4. A dispiſed enemy, an enemy that upon good advice they thought not fit to engage their whole ſtrength upon; but only ſend out a partie, ver. 3. Let not all the people goe up, but let about a two or three thouſand men goe up and ſmite Ai, but let not all the people labour thither, for they are but few. Now for Iſrael to fall in ſuch a Cauſe, at ſuch a time, before ſuch an enemy, all this concurres to make the meaſure of Joſhuah's griefe and conſternation the more full, ô Lord what ſhall I ſay when Iſrael turneth their backs before their enemies? And doe not all theſe circumstances meet in ours, to make our diſaſter equall unto theirs? ô that the ſenoe of it might be as equall! was not this a blow unexpected? Did not 1. The goodneſſe of our Cauſe (wherein we have not only the witneſſe of our own conſciences, and the witneſſe of Neighbour Churches, Scotland, Zealand, Helvetia, &c. in their Letters to the Aſſembly of Divines.but the witneſſe of God himſelf with us.) Did not 2. That …ccent and much to be remembred teſtimony of Gods favour towards us in it by that great and glorious victory given us before the walls of Yorke, make us hope for a good iſſue of this Expedition into the Weſt. And 3. Is not this the firſt time that ever your Army under the Conduct of his Excellency turned their backs or became a ſpoile unto the Enemy? And was not the Enemy (I meane the adverſe Army) deſpiſed in our eyes? It is not long ſince they did nothing but flitt and ſculke; their whole ſtrength being ſhrunke up into ſome Numbers of Horſe, and now they had drawne together a Body of Foot: did we not looke upon them all as an inconſiderable Rabble rather then an Army? forced men, raw Souldiers, not worth the ingaging all your Powers upon: I feare it was our fault Politically, (I doe not ſay our ſin Theologically) to undervalue the Powers of our Enemies ſo farre. But all this makes our diſaſter the ſadder, and ſhould make our ſence of it the deeper, for ſuch an Army, in ſuch a Cauſe to be given up to ſuch an Enemy, and at ſuch a time as this is, when if God had bleſt us, in all probability, we might have ſeen a ſpeedy and happy end of theſe calamitous wars, ô Lord what ſhall I ſay?

Thirdly, Were there any conſequences that did fall in upon the thoughts of Joſhua as aggravations of Iſraels diſaster and his griefe. Conſider if the ſame conſequences doe not fall in here. Did Joſhua feare not with a Pannick but with a rationall, prudentiall feare, a feare becomming a man of wiſedome and reſolution? Did Joſhua thus feare, that the Nations (who not long before trembled at the thoughts of Iſrael, Joſh. 5.1.) would now reſume their courage and joyne their ſtrengths together for the utter extirpation of the Iſrael of God? And have not we cauſe to feare the like? It is not long ſince the out-ſtretched Arme of God at Yorke ſtrucke a trembling into the hearts of our enemies, that they began to ſay as Exod. 13.25. Let us flee from the face of this people, for the Lord fighteth for them. And many of the malignant enemies of the Kingdome began to thinke of making their peace, and made at leaſt feined ſubmiſsion. But now, you are wiſe enough to think what flocking together there will be of Papists and Malignants: what gathering together into bodies: what an Army, or rather how many armies you may quickly have againſt you of Engliſh, Iriſh, Popiſh, and others (if the over-ruling Providence of God prevent it not as here) whoſe Rage will be ſatisfied with nothing leſſe then the Cutting off our Name from the earth. If not the Name of England, yet the Name of Parliament, the Name of Proteſtant Religion, &c.

Poſſibly ſome may ſay, What if they do ſtrengthen themſelves, and multiply their Armies: thankes be to God we have yet Armies as many and as conſiderable as any they have: we have ſo many thouſand in the North; and ſo many thouſand yet in the Weſt; and ſo many thouſand advancing from the North into the Weſt. And what then? might not Joſhua have ſaid as much as this? he had ſix hundred thouſand fighting men in his Camp ſtill; and what if all the Inhabitants of the land come againſt them? they are enough are they not to deale with them; yea, but Joſhua ſaw that God was angry, he went not forth with their Armies: and Joſhua knew that if his 600000 Men were 600000 Millions, if God continue ſtill angry with them, they ſhould all fall before their enemies: we talke of thouſands, were our thouſands multiplyed into Millions, if God frowne ſtill upon our Armies, as he now begins to doe, we are but bread for our enemies. Beleeve it, it is a ſigne of a carnall heart, that would ſhift off this ſtroke of God, and is loth to lie under the ſence of it, to comfort it ſelfe, at ſuch a time as this is, in our remaining Armies. If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers ſtoope under him. Job 9.13. If we will not beleeve this, God will make us feele it. Joſhua had men of warre enough to have comforted himſelfe in, but he could not, durst not doe it.

Fourthly, did Joſhua feare that this Diſaster would give occaſion to the proud heathen to blaſpheme the Name of the God of Iſrael? therefore he ſaith, What wilt thou doe to thy great Name? And may not wee feare the ſame upon this of our Army? Nay, doe we not know it? how have they heretofore? how often have they as with a ſword pierced the hearts of Gods people,Witneſſe Briſtoll and Bolton, &c. while they ſay daily in their reproach, Where is now your God? Pſal. 42.10. Where is now your God? your God to whom you have prayed? before whom you have wept & faſted? of whom you have made your boaſt, Where is now your God? Encline thine eare, O Lord, and heare. Open thine eyes, O Lord, and ſee; and heare all the words of thine enemies, whereby they reproach the living God. Iſai. 37.13.

…But, O Brethren, ſhall not all this affect our hearts? ſhall not all this cauſe us to lie in the duſt before the Lord, ſeriouſly and ſincerely humbled under him and mourning before him? Oh that I could find this diſpoſition in my ſelfe O that I could behold it in you, eſpecially in you Parliament men! O that I could ſee your Eyes ſpeaking the ſenſe which your hearts have of this ſad hand of God upon us, even in Teares. Beleeve it, Right Honourable, it would become you, nay, it is your duty. O that I might obtaine it from you, or obtaine it at the hand of God for you!

O Parliam…nt Teares are pretious Teares: would you drop but every man a Teare this day before the Lord for England, O what a Balme might it be for this bleeding Kingdome: I tell you, Brethren, it is more to that great God, before whom you ſtand, and whoſe face you deſire to ſeek this day, to ſee you Parliament men, to ſee you unfeinedly judging your ſelves, ſitting in the duſt at his feet, giving him glorie in all his righteous dealings with you; Mourning under this frowne that he hath caſt upon you, it is more to God to ſee you doing this, then to ſee ſome thouſands of others in ſuch a Poſture. Are not you as all the Tribes of England? is not all England epitomized, contracted in you? If you be humbled, All England is humbled, virtually, eminently. If Joſhua and the Elders be humbled, it is as if all Iſrael were humbled; if Rehoboam and the Princes of Judah be humbled, it is as if all Judah had been humbled. God will grant ſome deliverance, and things ſhall goe well in Judah, 2 Chron. 12.6, 7, 12.

It hath often been the Prayer of ſome of your Remembrancers at the throne of Grace, upon our dayes of Humiliation: that whatever God doe with private Congregations: yet that in this place and upon your hearts there might be a mightie Preſence and Effuſion of the ſpirit of Humiliation; the ſame is my deſire and prayer this day: O that God would humble us all, every ſoule of us: but if not all, if there be any of us whom God for our perſonall ſins will leave to the hardneſſe and dedolency of our hearts this day; yet the Lord be mercifull unto you, and unto us all in you; That your hearts may be as Gideons fleece moyſtened with a dew from Heaven, though we round about you ſhould be dry, (which yet to us would be exceeding ſad.) But ſomewhat it would comfort us concerning England, would the Lord pleaſe to humble you. Now the Lord humble you: The Lord affect your hearts with his dealing: the Lord cast you downe at his feet with Joſhua; that with a hand of mercy he may lift you up as he did Joſhua, and ſay, Ariſe, wherefore lieſt thou upon thy face?

Thirdly, for Reproofe. But if there be any Man here (eſpecially any Parliament man) to whom it were more fit to ſay as the Maſter of the ſhip did to Jonah. Ʋp ſleeper, and call upon thy God, if ſo be that God will thinke on us, that we periſh not: then as here God to Joſhua; Ariſe, wherefore lieſt thou upon thy face? If there be any man here that upon ſuch a Day and ſuch an Occaſion as this is, hath an unſtirred and unawakened heart within him. (And I feare there are too many ſuch, I ſeldome come in a Faſt into any Congregation where it is diſcernable by the face and garbe of the Aſſembly, that they are in a dutie of Faſting and Mourning. Our monethly Faſts are degenerated into moſt lothſome Formalities, into leſſe then a formality, leſſe then an outſide, then an appearance of Faſting and Mourning. But) that Man that can be ſo this day hath a heart more Atheiſticall then the very Heathens had.Inops Senatus auxilii humani ad Deos populum & vota convertit, luſsi cum conjugibus ac liberis ſupplicatum ire pacem que expoſcere …cûm: omnia delubra imp…ent, Stratae paſsim Matres crinib… Templa verrentes veniam irarum coeleſtium expoſcunt. Liv. lib. 3. He that reads the Romane Story will finde how they upon ſuch like occaſions as is this day preſented unto us, kept ſolemne dayes of Supplications, and with what throngs of men, women, and children their Temples were filled! how ſad and mournfull their demeanour was! how their Ladies and Matrons rowled themſelves in the duſt and ſwept the very pavements of their Idoll-Temples with the haire of their heads! ô how farre are many amongſt us from any ſuch affection, conſternation? I cannot but feare that there is a great deale more Atheiſme, and a great deale leſſe ſence Irarum Coeleſtium, of the Anger of a God againſt us in the Calamities now lying upon us, then was in thoſe very Heathens. O that their Dayes of Supplication may never riſe up in Judgement againſt ours to condemne them! The Lord humble every Soule of us that hath not yet been humbled: (Even this alone is ſufficient Cauſe why we ſhould now be humbled, becauſe in all our Dayes of Humiliation we have been unhumbled hitherto many of us:) The Lord ſo humble every one of us by the mighty working of his owne bleſſed Spirit, that he may pleaſe to take notice of his own worke in us as he did here in Joſhua, and ſay, Ariſe, wherefore liest thou upon thy face?

I have done with That which God tooke notice of in Joſhua. But before I paſſe to That which God gave notice of to Joſhua. Let me entreat you to take notice of ſomething in God, from God; taking notice of ſomething in Joſhua, …and that is Gods tender and gratious regard to a humbled mourning heart.

No ſooner doth Joſhua here humble himſelfe but God preſently takes notice of him, ſpeakes comfortably to him. Joſhua, Get thee up, wherefore liest thou upon thy face? Lord what is man that thou art thus mindfull of him? that no ſooner can a poore ſinner in humbleneſſe of ſoule caſt himſelfe to the earth, but the great God reacheth his hand from Heaven to raiſe him up againe. Lord what is man that thou ſhouldeſt thus magnifie him, and ſet thine heart upon him? If the glorious Majeſtie of our God abaſe himſelfe to behold the things that are done in Heaven. Pſal. 113.6. ô then what a Condeſcenſion is it in our God to behold a Man, a worme abaſed upon earth. But Joſhua was no ordinary man. Joſhua was a Saint, a Friend, a Son of God. A man of ſuch rare and matchleſſe Piety as in all the thouſands of Iſrael, nay, in all the world, there was ſcarce ſuch another man. But One that we reade of (if One) in his Dayes that was to be compared to him. No wonder if when ſuch a man be humbled God takes notice of him. But will God regard the Humiliations of other Men, Men that are not of ſuch rare and extraordinary holineſſe, when they are humbled will God take notice of them? I will give you but two inſtances more to conſider of, for the proofe and illuſtration of this point, and judge by them.

My firſt Instance is of Rehoboam, who certainly was none of the beſt men: nay, as farre as we can take his Character by all that Scripture ſpeakes of him firſt and laſt, he was a very bad man. For it is ſaid of him in the 2 Chron. 12.1. that he forſooke the Law of the Lord, he and all Iſrael with him. And if you would know what was the degree and meaſure of their wickedneſſe, how farre he and his people had forſaken the Law of the Lord; looke in 1 Kings 14.22, 23, 24. and reade what their wickedneſſe was. And Judah did evill in the ſight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealouſie with their ſinnes which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. For they alſo built them high places, and images, and groves on every high hill, and under every greene tree. And there were alſo Sodomites in the land, and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the Children of Iſrael. Theſe ſinnes within a very few yeares after Rehoboams comming to the Crowne had made them ripe for the judgement of the ſword: for ſo 2 Chron. 12.2. In the fifth yeere of Rehoboam King of Judah, Shiſhak king of Egypt came up againſt Jeruſalem, becauſe they had tranſgreſſed againſt the Lord. The terrour of this invaſion is ſuch as Rehoboam and his Princes cannot but humble themſelves, Whereupon the Princes of Iſrael, and the King humbled themſelves, and they ſaid, The Lord is righteous. ver. 6. Now doth the Lord deſpiſe their Humiliations, becauſe they had been an idolatrous, uncleane, wretched people? No reade and wonder at the goodneſſe of our God towards humbled ſinners, ver. 7. And when the Lord ſaw that they humbled themſelves; (ſo then God tooke notice of this even in theſe) the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, ſaying, They have humbled themſelves, therefore I will not deſtroy them, but I will give them ſome deliverance, and my wrath ſhall not be poured out upon Jeruſalem, by the hand of Shiſhak. And becauſe God would have us take good notice of this his reſpect unto their Humiliations, the holy Ghoſt mentions it againe in the 12. verſe. And when he humbled himſelfe, the wrath of the Lord turned away from him, that he would not deſtroy him altogether: and alſo in Judah things went well. God did not only deliver him out of his preſent danger, but proſpered all the affaires of his Kingdome in his hand; and yet certainly he (even after this his Humiliation) none of the beſt men, as we may collect from that Cenſure which after this the Lord leaves of him. ver. 14. And he did evill, becauſe he prepared not his heart to ſeeke the Lord.

My next Inſtance ſhall be of a Man who was ſo farre from having any thing of Piety at all in him, that he was a man of the moſt tranſcendent Impiety that ever any (almoſt) was. King Ahab is the man: Doe but remember what the holy Ghoſt ſaith of him. It is ſaid 1 Kings 16.30. That Ahab did evill in the ſight of the Lord, above all that were before him, and ver. 33. he did more to provoke the Lord God of Iſrael to anger, then all the Kings of Iſrael that were before him. and in 1 Kings 21.25. But there was none like to Ahab, &c. None of all that went before him or came after him like to him in wickedneſſe. There were twenty Kings in Iſrael from the time that the ten Tribes revolted from the houſe of David, to the time that God removed them out of his ſight. Of theſe twenty Kings there was onelyonly One good, Jehu. And yet his Integritie may be doubted too. But the other nineteen were all wicked, and yet not One among them all to be compared to Ahab. But there was none like unto Ahab. An Oppreſſour he was, and a murtherer, and an idolater, and a perſecuter of that holy Truth which God had plentifully revealed to him by his Prophets, and powerfully confirmed to him by miracles, and mercifully ſought to endeare to him by many gratious deliverances. There were not ſuch Prophets in Iſrael in any Kings dayes as were in his: Nor ſuch miracles wrought as in his: Nor had any King more glorious Victories and Deliverances, and Providences manifeſted towards him then he had: and therefore in all likelihood he was an obſtinate ſinner, and as ſome thinke very neere the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt. This is that King Ahab againſt whom God by his ſervant Elijah thunders dreadfull things, 1 Kings 21.20, 21, 22, 23, 24. The very hearing whereof ſomething breakes the pride of his heart, ver. 27. And it came to paſſe that when Ahab heard thoſe words, he rent his clothes, and put ſackcloth upon his fleſh, and faſted, and lay in ſackcloth, and went ſoftly. But will God regard it? cares God for Ahab? Truly we ſhould have been ready to thinke, that if ſuch a wretch as Ahab ſhould not onelyonly have rent his clothes, but have rent his fleſh, his heart: ſhould he not only have faſted, but have ſtarved, not only have ſhed Teares, but Bloud; all this ſhould never have prevailed with God to relent any thing at all towards him; or reverſe one Tittle of the wrath denounced againſt him, we would have thought ſo; had not God left the contrary upon record in his holy word; to teach us, That his thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his wayes as our wayes. Therefore the word of the Lord came to Elijah ſaying, Seeſt thou how Ahab humbleth himſelf before me? becauſe Ahab humbleth himſelfe before me, I will not bring the evill in his dayes. Let all the earth now keep ſilence before the Lord; and after ſo manifeſt a proofe of Gods regard to Humiliation, even in an Ahab, let ſinfull duſt and aſhes never murmure more, nor dare to ſay, What profit is it that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hoſts? Mal. 3.14.

Application. Now what ſhall we ſay to this? Shall England that hath more Strugglings in her wombe then Rebekah had, ſay as ſhe, If it be thus, why am I thus? If it be thus, as we have heard, that God doth vouchſafe ſo gratious a tender regard unto the Humiliations of his people, Why am I thus? Why am I yet after ſo many Dayes of monethly, and other occaſionall Humiliations, a Stage of warre, a Field of Bloud? Hath God forgotten to bee gratious? or hath he in anger ſhut up his tender mercies? Is his MercieMercy cleane gone, or doth his Promiſe faile for evermore? Hath not the Lord promiſed 2 Chron. 7.14. If my People, which is called by my Name, ſhall humble themſelves, and pray, and ſeeke my face, and turne from their evill wayes, then will I heare from Heaven, and I will forgive their ſin, and I will heale their Land. And againe Levit. 26.42, 43. &c. If they ſhall confeſſe their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fore-fathers, &c. and if then their uncircumciſed heart be humbled, and they then accept the puniſhment of their iniquitie, then will I remember the land. Now what ſhall we ſay? hath God forgotten to be gratious? was God gratious not only to Joſhua and the Elders when they humbled themſelves; but to Rehoboam and his Princes when they humbled themſelves: Nay, even to Ahab when he humbled himſelfe; and will not the Lord be gratious unto us? Hath God promiſed that if his people humble themſelves, and pray, and ſeek his face, he will forgive, and heale, and doth his Promiſe now faile? God forbid we ſhould thus thinke or ſpeake! the failing is on our part, not on Gods: we faile in that which God hath made theſe Promiſes; and uſually beares this Tender regard unto: We are not humbled, we are not humbled; we are not humbled. After two yeares of extraordinary judgements, and three yeares of extraordinary Meanes and Dayes of Humiliation, we remaine an unhumbled people: where can we finde the Evidences of ſuch a Humiliation as was here in Joſhua? or ſuch as was in Rehoboam? or ſuch as was in Ahab? or ſuch as was in Nineveh? Oh England, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe, even with a double deſtruction: Thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe Once by thy ſinnes, thy ancient idolatries and perſecutions: Thy late Apostacies, Superstitions, Oppoſitions to the Power of godlineſſe, hating to be reformed, &c. theſe have called the deſtroying ſword, upon thee. Thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe by theſe a firſt time. And a ſecond time thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe by thy unhumbledneſſe and impenitencie under the preſent judgement; Thy ſins began, thy not being humbled perfects thy deſtruction. I am as confident as confidence it ſelfe can make me (for I have Scripture for it) that if England were humbled, England ſhould be healed. God would ſay unto his ſword that now devoures, Returne unto thy place, Reſt and be ſtill. Nay, though All England were not humbled, yet if King and Parliament were but humbled, the Breach between King and Parliament (yea betweene God and the King, between God and the Kingdome) ſhould be healed. God would be reconciled to King, Parliament, and Kingdome, and God would reconcile King, Parliament and Kingdome one unto another, if King and Parliament were but humbled: and things ſhould yet goe well in England. That Example of Rehoboam and the Princes of Judah induceth me thus to thinke: Nay, if the Parliament were but humbled, if you Lords and Gentlemen were but humbled, I durſt promiſe that things ſhould yet goe well in England. God would proſper your Counſels, your Armies, things ſhould ſucceed in all according to your minde, if you were humbled according to the minde of God. This ſad blow whereby God hath called you to his foot this day (even in your owne underſtandings) ſpeakes thus much, that God would have you, even you be more humbled then yet you have been; The Lord ſanctifie it, and bleſſe it, that it may produce ſuch and ſuch a meaſure of Humiliation in you, and in us all, as that for time to come our gratious God be no more enforced to uſe ſuch ſevere wayes to breake our hearts and humble us.

I come now to that which God gave notice of to Joſhua, in theſe words, Iſrael hath ſinned, and hath alſo tranſgreſſed my Covenant: wherein you may pleaſe to conſider, firſt, the thing that God gives Joſhua notice of. Secondly, the Manner, how God gives Joſhua notice of it.

The thing that God gives Joſhua notice of is Sinne: Haec Theſis Iſrael deliquit ſic quaſi per gradus amplificatur graviter deliquit Iſrael, nam quod nuper juſſerānō obſervarant, fecerūt enim nonnullas reliquas res quas perdidiſſe oportuit, & quod gravius eſt non reliquat modo fecerunt, ſed ſibi uſurparint, tum quod majus eſt flagitiū ſurtine uſurparunt ad haec mē daciis inſuper …allere conati ſunt. Deni que quod malorū eſt extremū obſirmarunt animū rebus ſubtractis in ſuum ſuppellectilem relatis. Maſ. in loc.Iſrael had ſinned. The Manner of Gods giving Joſhua notice of it, is firſt by way of gradation. God firſt in the generall tels him, Iſrael hath ſinned. Then ſecondly, deſcends a little neerer to the Nature of the ſinne, And they have alſo tranſgreſſed my Covenant: And then thirdly inſtances the particular ſinne, And they have taken of the accurſed thing, and have alſo ſtolne. Then fourthly follow the aggravations of the ſinne, And they have diſſembled alſo, and they have put it even amongſt their owne Stuffe.

Or, if you pleaſe, you may conſider in the words: ¹ Gods Charge againſt Iſrael: and ² the Amplification of it. The Charge it ſelfe is this, Iſrael hath ſinned. The Amplification is in ſeverall particulars. Firſt, their ſinne was a breach of Covenant, They have alſo tranſgreſſed my Covenant. Secondly, this breach of Covenant was in an accurſed thing, For they have taken of the accurſed thing. Thirdly, this breach of Covenant in the accurſed thing it was a Theft, And they have alſo ſtollen. Fourthly, they have added Lying to their Theft, They have alſo diſſembled. Fifthly, they have ſo farre hardened themſelves in their ſinne that they thinke I will never call them to account for it; And they have put it even among their owne ſtuffe.

Severall Obſervations may theſe words afford us, as,

There is no ſinne ſo ſecretly committed, nor ſo cloſely carryed, but God ſeeth and knowes it.

Not one eye among the hundred thouſands of Iſrael had diſcovered Achans Theft, the conveyance was ſo cloſe; yet the eye of God ſaw it. Obſerv. 3 No darkneſſe of Night, no ſhadow of Death: Pſal. 139.1, 2, 3, 4. &c. ad v. 14.no depth of hell, or of the deceitfull heart of Man can cover any thing from the All-ſeeing eye of God. The darkneſſe and the light to him are both alike. Pſal. 139.12. Hell and deſtruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the ſonnes of men? foreign. Paten…ia, Beza.Prov. 15.11. There is not any Creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight. Aperta. Vulg. Manifeſta. Trē. Reſupinata. Er. Per medium diſsecta. Parçus. Per Anatomiā diſſecta. Illy….But all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe. Heb. 4.13. The ſmootheſt cloſeſt hypocrite doth but dance in a Net; he may deceive himſelfe, God he cannot deceive. Our ſecret ſinnes are in the light of his countenance. Pſal. 90.8.

Applic. 1 Now would we conſider this, this day, how might it humble us? how would it fill every heart with trembling and every face with ſhame, to conſider that the God with whom we have t is day to doe knowes all our ſinnes, our ſecret ſinnes, our darkneſſe ſinnes, our midnight ſinnes, our Cloſet ſinnes, our Curtaine ſinnes, our Boſome ſinnes; All things are naked and open to this …od: would we ſeriouſly conſider this, how would it helpe to humble us for ſinnes paſt?

And would we remember this, how might it preſerve us from ſinning for time to come, could we when temptations are upon us, remember, That when we have ſinned, we cannot hide it from the righteous God? how would it make us Stand in awe, and not ſin? Could men find a vaile to caſt before the Eyes of God, a Maske to blinde the All-ſeeing Eye of God, a Curtaine that might hide them from the ſight of God; Then might they ſinne without feare. But if we can be no where, nor doe nothing but before Gods All-ſeeing eye; then again, I ſay, Stand in awe, and ſin not. The Heathen could ſay, Maxima debetur pueris reverentia ſiquid turpe paras. — The preſence of a child ſhould keepe a man from filthineſſe. There are ſome ſinnes which he that hath not put off Man and native modeſtie, would be loath the eye of a Childe of five yeares old ſhould ſee him in them. Might not the ſight and knowledge of the great God be a more powerfull meanes of Reſtraint, if men would remember it. That Man that can thinke thus, If I commit this ſinne, The great God, The Righteous Judge of all the world will ſee and know it; and yet can dare to ſin: That man is more impudent in ſinning then was Abſalom when he ſpread a Tent upon the Top of the houſe, and went in into his Fathers wives in the ſight of all Iſrael and of the Sunne.

But eſpecially what a Preſervative would the remembrance of this Truth be from that deteſtable and too too common ſin of Hypocriſie. O the thoughts of this, That there is no ſinne ſo ſecret or cloſe, but God can and will find it out! ô how would it make us in all Simplicity and Godly Sincerity, ſtudy to approve our ſelves unto God. Abhorring to doe Gods worke for our owne ends, as Jehu did. For God will find it out, though men cannot; and will charge it home, which is the next thing you may obſerve out of this part of the Text.

Obſerv. 4 That where God comes once to charge ſin, Vo…ula foreign etiam quae ſapi…s hoc loco iteratur, auxeſes continuas ſignificat, ut Hebraeis quo que videtur. Maſius. ad loc. Exaggerat cauſam quae poterat levis videri. Pellicanus. Cri…. en exaggerat particula foreign quae toties repetitur. Calv.he will charge it home in all the degrees and aggravations of it. So here, Iſrael hath ſinned, and which is worſe, they have tranſgreſſed my Covenant: and yet worſe, they have even taken of the accurſed thing: and worſer yet, they have alſo ſtollen: and worſe ſtill, they have alſo diſſembled, and they have put it even among the Stuffe. According to this forme God drawes up a Charge and Inditement againſt David, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8. Thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, I anointed thee King over Iſrael, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, And I gave thee thy Maſters houſe, and thy Masters wives into thy boſome, and gave thee the houſe of Iſrael, and the houſe of Judah, and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee ſuch and ſuch things. Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed the Commandement of the Lord, to doe evill in his ſight? Thou haſt killed Ʋriah the Hittite with the ſword: and haſt taken his wife to be thy wife, and haſt ſlaine him with the ſword of the children of Ammon. How ſorely doth God charge this ſinne upon his Deareſt Favourite, King David in the depth of its bloudy Horrour, twice telling him, Thou haſt killed, Thou haſt ſlain. In the Height of its Rebellion againſt God, Thou haſt despiſed the Commandement of the Lord. In the fulneſſe of that violence it offered to all the mercies of God. I anointed thee, and I delivered thee, and I gave thee; and wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed, &c? It may be long ere God comes to make this charge; But when he doth he will do it to purpoſe, Pſal. 50 21. Theſe things haſt thou done, and I kept ſilence: and thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelfe: but I will reprove thee, and ſet thy ſinnes in order before thee.

Applic. I proſecute the proofe of this no further. In one word, let it teach us, if it be poſſible, to prevent Gods charging ſinne upon us; which certainly if it be ſo full cannot but be very dreadfull. Now it is poſſible, There is a way whereby we may prevent it, and that is by charging our ſinnes home upon our ſelves. For if we would judge our ſelves, we ſhould not be judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.32. So if we would accuſe our ſelves, indite our ſelves, we ſhould not be accuſed, indited, of the Lord; if we would charge ſin upon our ſelves, God would not charge our ſinnes upon us; if we would remember them, God would forget them; if we would ſet them this day before our faces, God would caſt them this day behind his back: Therefore let us accuſe, indite, charge, jud e our ſelves, that we may be cleared, acquitted, releaſed, abſolved of the Lord.

But to come to ſomething that we may fix upon, Iſrael hath ſinned, ſaith God: both rendring the Reaſon why Iſrael was ſmitten, and directing Joſhua to what he would have done. Iſrael hath ſinned. Whence obſerve,

Obſerv. 5 That God would have his People, in all the Diſaſters that befall their Armies, take notice of their owne ſinnes.

Ʋp, Joſhua, wherefore lyeſt thou upon thy face? What doeſt thou weeping and breaking thy heart? There is other worke for thee to doe: Iſrael hath ſinned, goe find out that.

You know this was that which God inſtructed his people in long before: that nothing ſhould ever cauſe their Armies to miſcarry but their owne ſinnes, ſo Levit. 26.14, 17. If you will not hearken unto me, and will not doe all theſe Commandements, I will ſet my face againſt you, and you ſhall be ſlain before your enemies: and ver. 36. upon them that are left alive of you, I will ſend a faintneſſe into their hearts in the land of their enemies, and the ſound of a ſhaken leafe ſhall chaſe them &c. ſo Deut. 28.15, 25. If thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to doe all that I command thee, the Lord will cauſe thee to be ſmitten before thine enemies, thou ſhalt goe out one way againſt them, and flee ſeven wayes before them. And in all experience the people of Iſrael found it ſo; They never were worsted in their battles, but when they had ſinned againſt their God. Iſrael from the time of their comming up out of Egypt had been but once put to the worſe before their enemies, till this Time: and the Story of that you have Numb. 14. ult. The Amalekites came downe, and the Canaanites which dwelt in the hill, and ſmote them and diſcomfited them even unto Hormah. But the reaſon of this you may collect from the former verſes, Iſrael had ſinned. And all along the whole Story of the Bible you ſhall conſtantly find it thus, when Iſrael was faithfull with their God, they ruled with their God and proſpered in their warres whitherſoever they went. Nay, even Balaam himſelfe could tell, that while Iſrael kept themſelves from ſin, God would keep them from miſchiefe in their Army. The Divell himſelfe ſhould not hurt them. Numb. 23.21, 23. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor hath he ſeene perverſneſſe in Iſrael. Vide Druſ. ad diff loc Numer. & Ainſworth ad locum, & Weems upon the Morall Law. part. 1.The true meaning of which Scripture (what ever ſence the Antinomians would put upon it in favour of their opinion, That God ſeeth no ſinne in his people) is this. That at this time when Balaak hired Balaam to curſe Jacob and defie Iſrael, there was no Peccatum flagrans, no ſin lying upon the Congregation flaming in the eye of God, or ſtinking in his Noſtrils, that might provoke his wrath againſt them, or cauſe him to ſuffer any calamity to befall them: therefore ver. 23. ſaith he, Surely there is no enchantment againſt Jacob, neither is there any Divination againſt Iſrael. No, it is in vaine for men and divels to plot miſchiefe againſt the Armies of Gods people, when there is no ſin among them to pull that miſchiefe upon them. All our Diſasters of this kind they are the fruits of our owne ſinnes, and God would have us look upon them as ſo: God would have his people in the Diſaſters that befall their Armies to take notice of their owne ſinnes. And that,

Reaſon 1 Firſt, that they may hereby be preſerved from Atheiſme, and Apoſtacy from God: from thinking either that there is no God, or that the God whom they have commended their cauſe unto is a God that cannot, will not ſuccour them; a thing that the Nature of man is very ſubject to; you may remember what is ſaid of King Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28.23. Ahaz ſacrificed to the Gods of Damaſcus which ſmote him, and ſaid, becauſe the Gods of the Kings of Syria help them, therefore I will ſacrifice unto their Gods, that they may helpe me alſo. There is a Root of this Atheiſme and Impiety in the heart of every man. And ſuch as God doth not teach to reade the cauſe of their defeats in themſelves, are ready to thinke the enemies cauſe, Religion, God to be the better. Now that his people may be preſerved from this, God will have them know that their ſinne is the cauſe of their Diſaſters.

And ſecondly, God will have them take notice of this, that they may with the more quietneſſe ſubmit to theſe diſpenſations of God, and ſay, The Lord is righteous. That they may not murmure, repine, nor be too querulous at ſuch a time as this: therefore the Lord ſaith to us, as it is Ier. 4.18. Thy way and thy doings have procured this unto thee, this is thy wickedneſſe: and as it is againe Ezek. 14.23. Ye ſhall know that I have not done without cauſe all this that I have done, ſaith the Lord. That our hearts and mouths may juſtifie God, God will have us know that our ſins are the cauſe of our Diſasters. It is not enough to Take notice of the ſtroke and Mourne for that: But we muſt Take notice of the ſin, and mourne for that. Ʋp, Ioſhua, wherefore lyeſt thou upon thy face? Iſrael hath ſinned.

Application. In the firſt place, This may ſerve to fill our faces this day with ſhame before the Lord; would our God have us in all the Diſaſters that befall our Armies take notice of our owne ſinnes? Ah Lord! when did we doe thus? Is this the firſt time that God hath frowned upon our Armies? No, no: who hath not heard of the diſappointment at the Viſes, where a glorious victory ſlipt out of our hands when we were almoſt poſſeſt of it. The loſſe of Briſtoll, The raiſing of the Siege at Newarke. I know the mention of theſe things may expoſe us to the ſcorne of our enemies; And let them ſcorne us, ſo we may give glory to our God. But have we in theſe diſaſters taken notice of our ſinnes as the Cauſes of them? Nothing leſſe. Men that are not led by Principles of Judgement and Conſcience, but by ſucceſſe; that doe not owne the cauſe for it ſelfe, they upon ſuch Providences as theſe are ready to deſert it, and take over to the enemies. And others are ready to impute it to Cowardize or careleſneſſe, or falſhood or treachery, to ſomething or other in thoſe who are the inſtruments of managing the buſineſſe, as if there were not thoſe ſinnes among us that might provoke the Lord to croſſe the endeavours of the moſt able and faithfull Inſtruments, as if we could all ſay with that Romane Emperour,Antoninus Philoſophus: ut refert …u…at. Gallic…n A… dro Gaſſio. Non ſic Deos coluimus, aut ſic vivimus, ut ille nos vinceret. We have not ſo ſerved God, nor doe we ſo live as that ſuch an enemie ſhould overcome us. We ſtill cry out of Treachery, Treachery, and accuſe others. But O how few are the men that upon ſuch occaſions as theſe enter into their Chambers, and there between God and their ſoules inquire and ſay, What have I done?

Ʋt nemo in ſeſe tentat deſcendere, Nemo?Pecl.

The Lord hearkened and heard, but no man ſpake aright. No man repented him of his evill deeds, ſaying, What have I done? There is indeed an opinion, That Beleevers, the Children of God ought not to thinke that their ſinnes have any influence into the Judgements that are upon a people. A ſoule perverting, a Land deſtroying opinion it is: The Lord preſerve us from it. I am ſure David was not of this opinion: Lo, I have ſinned, and I have done wickedly, ſaith David, 2 Sam. 24. when Iſrael was conſumed by the Peſtilence, and the Spirit ſaith expreſſely 2 Chron. 32.25. That for the ſinne of Hezekiah, and for the pride of his heart came wrath upon him and upon all Ieruſalem▪ And yet David was a Beleever and a Child of God. Hezekiah was a Beleever and a Child of God. If Hezekiah to his former pride that brought wrath upon Jeruſalem, had added this further pride to thinke that his ſin had not at all provoked that wrath, becauſe He was a Beleever, a justified Perſon, ô what a provocation would that have beene; The Lord deliver all his people from ſuch pride of heart: it is too bad out of a ſlightneſſe and careleſneſſe of ſpirit not to take notice of our ſinnes in our Diſaſters: But when this proceeds from an opinion, from a fixed Principle of Judgement and Reaſon. This makes it much worſe.

In the ſecond place, Is it the will of God that his people ſhould take notice of their ſinnes in the diſaſters of their armies? Then I beſeech you, let us labour to doe this will of God: and as before I called you to take notice of the Blow, to be ſenſible of that, ſo let me now call you to take notice of the ſin, and the Lord help us that we may be ſenſible of that.

The Lord ſpeakes to us in this Diſaſter as he did here to Joſhua: Iſrael hath ſinned. But who ſhall give us a particular diſcovery of the ſinne or ſinnes that are the cauſe of this Diſaſter? we cannot goe and as Joſhua did here, or as Saul did, 1 Sam. 14.38. caſt the lot that we may know and ſee where this ſinne hath been. Who is the prudent man that knoweth this, and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken, that he may declare it, for what the land periſheth? Jer. 9.12. Oh that we could diſcover it. It is a Diſcovery that might more advantage England then the Diſcovery of as much Treaſure as is in both the Indies. It might be the ſaving of the reſt of our Armies, of the Cauſe, and therein of All. What may we think the ſinne, the cauſe of this Diſaſter to be? I will tell you what we may not thinke it to be. We may not, we must not thinke that there is ſinne in the foundation of the Action. That the Ground and cauſe of the warre is unjuſt and ſinfull, becauſe of this Diſaster: no more then Ioſhua's here, or the Benjamites, Iudg. 20. no though God ſhould frowne yet further upon us, and breake us with breach upon breach. We muſt yet ſay as the Church, Pſal. 44.17, 18, 19. All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, nor dealt falſly in thy Covenant. Our heart is not turned back: neither have our ſteps declined from thy way. Though thou haſt ſore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the ſhadow of Death. Never repent that we have imbarqued our ſelves in the quarrell; for the ſinne lies not in the cauſe it ſelfe. But where then? I profeſſe ſincerely I cannot tell you where: if I could I durſt not be ſo unfaithfull to God, to your ſoules, to the Kingdome, as to conceale it: All that I can ſay is, That as God in this his Providence hath frowned upon not onelyonly our Armies, but the Parliament, the City, and the whole well-affected Party both Miniſters and People, ſo All have ſinned: and poſſibly all our ſinnes have an influence into this calamity that is now upon us. And therefore let All of us, Parliament-men, Commanders, Souldiers, Citizens, Ministers, People, All of us, ô let us ſearch our ſelves, and enquire in our ſeverall Orbes and Activities what our wayes have been, that ſo, if poſſible, we may find out what and where this ſinne is.

There is a ſpirit in man which is as the Candle of the Lord ſearching the innermoſt parts of the belly, Prov. 20.27. that conſulted with will diſcover hidden things. Now therefore every one of you conſult your owne ſpirits.

And firſt, you that are Members of the Honourable Houſes of Parliament (for I muſt ſpeake to you; God and your ſelves have called me hither this day, to what end if not to ſpeake to you.) Oh how doe I feare leaſt ſome ſinnes of yours may have a great influence into this Diſaſter that is now upon us; This I am ſure of, Parliament ſinnes, and ſinnes of Parliament men are great Provocations. Looke how much honour God hath put upon every One of you ſingly more then upon others of your Ranke that are not Members of this Honourable Body; and looke how much more honour God hath put upon you joyntly as a Parliament more then upon other Parliaments, ſo much the greater is your Engagement unto God; and if you ſinne it is ſo much the greater Provocation: ô that you would ever remember it, Was there ever Parliament that had ſo many Prayers, Deliverances, Wonders waiting upon it as you? Was there ever Parliament that had God ſo neere unto them in all things? ô ſuch a Parliament ſhould as (Caeſar ſaid ſometimes of his wife) be free not only à culpâ, ſed & à ſuspitione. In the Name of Ieſus Chriſt, whoſe Miniſter I am, and to whom I muſt give account of the diſcharge of this dayes ſervice, I beſeech you (Right Honourable) let this hand of God, (under which you are met to humble your ſelves this day,) cauſe every one of you ſeriouſly and impartially to review your wayes (not as men but as Parliament-men) commune every one with your owne hearts and ſay, What have I done? How have I diſcharged the truſt that God and man have committed to me? ô remember God and man have entruſted you with that which is deareſt to them both. God hath entruſted you with his Goſpell, with his Glory, with the affaires of the Kingdome of his Sonne, with the welfare of that Church which he hath purchaſed with his owne Bloud. Men have entruſted you with their Eſtates, Liberties, Lives: ô that theſe things were written upon the wals of the Houſes where you daily ſit: as over the gate of the Senate houſe in Rome was written, Ne quid Reſpublica detrimenti capiat. Let the Common-wealth receive no dammage. But your care muſt be not only for Common-wealth, but for the Church and Religion to; both are committed to your Truſt. But ô that you would inquire this day how you have diſcharged this Truſt. Every man reflect upon himſelfe and ſay, Am I the man that have been cold and lukewarme in matters of Religion, that have retarded buſineſſes of Reformation. That have ſaid, It is not yet time to Build the Lords houſe. If we ſettle any thing in matters of Religion, we ſhall be looſers by it? Am I the man that am afraid to heare of Government or Diſcipline, leſt it ſhould give checke to ſome luſt or opinion of mine? Am I the man that have made uſe of the Power and Intereſt God hath given me in Parliament, to turne aſide the right of a man, to ſubvert a man in his cauſe; to oppreſſe the righteous cauſe of an enemie, or advance the unrighteous cauſe of a friend: To obſtruct or pervert that courſe of ſtrict and impartiall Juſtice, which God and man call for the execution of? Am I the man that have driven my owne deſignes in publike ſervice; that have made it my worke to ſeeke great things for my ſelfe, at ſuch a time as this, when God ſeemes to be taking down what he had built up, and plucking up what he had planted, and ſhouldeſt thou ſeek great things for thy ſelfe? Jer. 45. Am I the man, &c? Pardon me, Beloved, if I mention theſe particulars: your very friends that Love you, Honour you, Pray for you, that have it in their hearts to live and to dye with you, cannot but mourn to ſee your proceedings in Religion and Iuſtice ſo fore-ſlowed, though where the fault is, we know not ô that you would enquire among your ſelves this day. Again and againe in the bowels of Ieſus Chriſt, I humbly beſeech you, Search, Search and try your wayes. ô if there ſhould be any corruption, any perverſneſſe, any rottenneſſe, any ſelfe-end, any ungodly deſigne in any of you, God will ſearch it out, if you will not: your ſin will find out you, if you will not find out it. I ſay unto you from God as Moſes did to thoſe of Iſrael. Numb. 32.23. Be ſure your ſin will find you out. And remember, I beſeech you, what the Spirit of God ſaith, Eccleſ. 9.18. Wiſedome is better then weapons of warre, but one ſinner deſtroyeth much good. The Wiſedome of a Parliament is better then the weapons of an Army, and may doe much good; but one ſinner may deſtroy it all, and may make the Counſels of a Parliament, and the weapons of warre in the hand of the gallanteſt Army in the world miſcarry. Did not Achan the ſonne of Zerah commit a treſpaſſe in the accurſed thing, and wrath fell on all the Congregation of Iſrael? and that man periſhed not alone in his iniquitie. Joſh. 22.20. ô Better thou hadſt never knowne Parliament, then to ſit in Parliament, and by thy ſin deſtroy all the good that a Poore Bleeding Kingdome, that THREE Poore Bleeding Kingdomes might reape by it.

Were I to ſpeake to our Souldiery this day, I would be as earneſt with them that they would ſearch themſelves. I would turn them to that Scripture Deut. 23.9. When thine host goeth forth againſt thine enemy, then keepe thee from every wicked thing. For (ver. 14.) the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee: therefore ſhall thy camp be holy, that he ſee no uncleane thing in thee, and turne away from thee. I would aske our Souldiers how they have kept this Commandement of the Lord. I would ſay to them as the Prophet Oded did to the Army of Iſrael: 2 Chron. 28.10. Are there not with you even with you ſinnes against the Lord your God. Nay, I would dare to ſay, There are. And therfore in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt would charge them every one to conſult their own Conſciences, and ſay, What have I done? Is it my drunkenneſſe, or my blaſphemy, my uncleanneſſe, my rapine, my violence, my oppreſſing the Godly and well-affected party, for whom I pretend to fight: (theſe Peſts our Armies are too full of) is it my &c. that is the cauſe of this Diſpleaſure, this diſuster?

Yea, I would ſpeake to our Commanders, and bid them ſay to their owne hearts, Is it my doing the worke of the Lord negligently, Jer. 48.10. is it my height of ſpirit, my ambition, my ſtanding upon Punctilio's, my preferring my own intereſt and honour before the good of an Army, of a Kingdome, &c. ô that men of brave Heroicke ſpirits, Chriſtians ſhould not be able to deny themſelves in point of honour or intereſt, foreign. Herodot. in Ʋran.or perſonall wrong or difference, for a Publike good, as much as heathens. How memorable is that of Themiſtocles and Ariſtides, who forgetting old grudges and injuries could in a time of common danger joyne their Counſels and forces together againſt the common enemy. It is time now, ſaith Ariſtides, to lay by other contentions, and contend now who ſhould do moſt good to his Native Country. But of all, the ſpirit of that Romane Fabius juſtly called Maximus was moſt admirable, who being advanced to a place of higheſt dignitie and command, to be Dictator of the City of Rome, (an office of abſolute and unlimited Power) met with the moſt unworthy and undeſerved affronts and diſcouragements, and overcame them with the greateſt conſtancy to his employments and counſels and faithfulneſſe to his Cauſe and countrey that ever (almoſt) man did.Liv li. 2…. c. 18. Minutius the maſter of the horſe (the next man in command to himſelfe,) firſt clancularly traducing him in the army for a heavy ſlothfull man, a man of no courage or activity, only becauſe he was not ſo precipitate and raſh to put all to a puſh as he would have him.Cap. 14. Then after daring publikely in the head of the Army to declaime againſt him, and make a ſpeech tending to no other end but to put the army into a mutiny. In Rome the people are filled with prejudice againſt him by letters and rumours from the Army. Metilius one of the Tribunes of the people makes a bitter invective againſt him in a ſolemne and publike audience.Cap. 25. The Senate (the Parliament as it were) of Rome whereof himſelfe was a member will ſcarce heare him with patience make his own defence. In concluſion things are brought to that paſſe, that the Dictator is tantùm non, put out of office. But contrary to all former Preſident they make a Law that Minutius ſhall have equall command with him,Cap. 27. and the ſupreme command to be equally ſhared between them both. Accordingly the Legions are divided, Fabius hath one halfe and Minutius the other horſe and foot. Some man (nay, almoſt any man) would have flung downe his ſword, abandoned the ſervice, let ſuch an indiſcreet, ſuch an ingrate people ſinke or ſwimme. But ſaith the Hiſtorian, qua animi gravitate criminantes ſe ad populum tulerat eadem & populi in ſe ſaevientis injuriam tulit. Nay, within a little while after when Minutius and the party under his command had like to have been all cut off by Hannibal, he (not liſtening to what Envy, or what Revenge might dictate to him) came in to their reliefe preſently, and not only reſcued them, but by that courteſie reduced Minutius to his obedience again; the man is as willing to reſigne his command as ever he was ambitious to take it up. Truly theſe glorious ſparklings of ſomething humano majus, even in heathens, of ſelfe-deniall, of faithfulneſſe, of Zeale for a publike good, ſwallowing up all other intereſts of Factiō, Honour, Priority, Power. Theſe things even in heathens, make me bluſh, wonder, tremble. Si faciunt hoc Ethnici ut fama ſua nomen extendant, Dan.quid agendum eſt Christianis ut in coeleſti ſibi gloriâ ſedes acquirant? If Heathens will doe thus much for a Bubble of vaine-glory upon Earth: what ſhould Chriſtians doe for a Crowne of Glory in Heaven?

Or were I to ſpeake this day to the Miniſtry of England that are rightly affected to the glory of God and the Publike good: I would intreat them to conſider with me, whether we may not feare that ſome of our former ſins in the matter of Gods Day and Worſhip may at this time come in remembrance before the Lord (eſpecially ſeeing we have been no more humbled for them?) and whether our preſent diviſions and diſſentions, and the undue managing of them may not have an influence into our preſent calamities? I remember in the beginning of the firſt Reformation there fell an unhappy difference between Luther and Zuinglius, and their followers, which was managed with a great deale of bitterneſſe, and remaines to this day uncompoſed. And both parties ſmarted under the ſword of the common enemy the longer, it is probable for their diſagreement among themſelves. The Lord grant it fall not out ſo to us. O that we could all of us both Miniſters and people remember that vehement obteſtation of the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Cor. 1.10. Now I beſeech you brethren, by the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that ye all ſpeake the ſame thing, and that there be no diviſions among you, but that you be perfectly joyned together in the ſame mind, and in the ſame judgement. Oh that at leaſt the advantage that redounds to our enemies and diſadvantage to our ſelves from theſe our differences, might compoſe them for us. And that we would imitate Baſil and Euſebius, who perceiving the common adverſary the Arrians, to improve a difference which was between them to the prejudice of the Orthodox Churches, were ſoon reconciled: and imployed their united ſtrengths againſt thoſe enemies. But I digreſſe too farre: to returne therefore to my preſent Auditory.

You that ſtand here before the Lord this day (Men and Brethren) I beſeech you every one aske your owne Conſciences, and ſay, What have I done? what ſinne is it of mine that hath awakened this hand of God againſt us?

Is it my unſenſibleneſſe of the indignation of the Lord in this civill deſtructive warre? Is it my pride, my luxurie, my eating fleſh, my drinking wine, my clothing my ſelfe with ſcarlet, my walking with an out-ſtretched neck at ſuch a time as this, when the Lord cals to weeping, and mourning, and baldneſſe, and girding with ſackcloth every day? Beleeve it, brethren, it is a great provocation in the eyes of our God to behold ſo much bravery and joviality as he ſees every day in this great Citie at ſuch a time as this, when he is making his ſword drunke with the bloud of our ſlaine. There are three Texts of Scripture, Oh that all the children of pride and vanity would but ſtudie them, Ezek. 21.9.10. A ſword, a ſword it is ſharpened, and alſo fourbiſhed. It is ſharpened to make a ſore ſlaughter; it is fourbiſhed, that it may glitter: ſhould we then make mirth? Iſai. 22.12, 13. And in that day did the Lord God of hoſts call to weeping and to mourning, and to baldneſſe and to girding with ſackcloth. And behold, joy and gladneſſe, ſlaying oxen, and killing ſheep, eating fleſh, and dinking wine. Iſai. 3.16-25, 26. Moreover, the Lord ſaith, Becauſe the daughters of Zion are haughtie, and walke with ſtretched forth neckes, and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they goe, and making a tinkling with their feet. Therefore thy men ſhall fall by the ſword and thy mighty in the warre. And her gates ſhall lament and mourne, and ſhe being deſolate ſhall ſit upon the ground. Little doe our Ladies thinke that their Gallantry (which that third of Iſaiah gives an Inventory of) may make our mighty men fall in the warre, and our ſtrongeſt Cities ſit upon the ground.

But, ſay againe: Is it my truſting to an arme of fleſh, my putting confidence in the Gallantry of our Army (and ah Lord! in this thing, the Lord be mercifull to us, who almoſt can plead Not guilty) that hath made this Arme of fleſh to wither? Is it my neglect of Prayer? Am I the man that when I heard our Army was in ſtreights; nay, when his Excellencie ſent to deſire Prayers, my wretched heart would not lift up one Prayer: Nay, if it were to doe again, if One Prayer would ſave the Army, ſave the Kingdome, I could not doe it? Am I the man that have with thoſe perverſe Iſraelites deſpiſed the pleaſant Land, the Land of deſires, as it is Pſal. 106.24. When Iſrael was in Egypt there was nothing they deſired more then the Land of Canaan; when they were come out of Egypt, and were upon the borders of that Land, then they deſpiſed it, and wiſhed themſelves in Egypt againe. ô that it were not ſo with us: It is not long ſince a Parliament, an Aſſembly of Godly Divines, the Reformation of the Church in Doctrine, Worſhip, and Diſcipline was the deſire of all the well-affected in the Nation. But now the Parliament—the Aſſembly of Divines deſpiſed. The Reformation (which we are now even upon the borders of) in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline, deſpiſed. Men wiſh themſelves in Egypt againe. And had rather be under Prelaticall Bondage then under a Government moſt conforme to the Word, and to the Government of other Reformed Churches. No Reformation of Religion now: now nothing will ſatisfie ſome but a Toleration of all Religions and all Opinions. Church Government, Diſcipline is to ſome a fiction, to others Tyranny and Perſecution. Ah Brethren this is a Provocation, and will be a Provocation, for this God may turne us into the wilderneſſe againe.

It were an endleſſe taske to enumerate the reſt of the particular ſins that poſſibly the people of this City and this Kingdome may be guilty of: and that God may have his Eye and Hand upon in this Rebuke that he hath given us. And therefore I muſt not proſecute this any further. Only againe, I beſeech you all, Lords, Gentlemen, Souldiers, Miniſters, Men, Women, Every one of you ſay to your ſelves, Sure we have ſinned. Iſrael hath ſinned; and every one of you aske your owne Conſciences, ſaying, What have I done? And let us all in the feare of God make it one part of this dayes Supplications, that God would pleaſe to ſhew us where this ſinne is, and ſay with Job, Chap. 10.2. Shew us wherefore thou contendeſt with us.

And if you pleaſe to take but one view more of the Text, God may pleaſe to ſhew us ſomething more then we yet ſee. Iſrael hath ſinned, (ſaith the Lord) and they have alſo tranſgreſſed my Covenant; wherein the Lord lets Joſhua underſtand, that as ſin in generall, ſo in particular breach of Covenant was the cauſe of the diſaſter, Iſrael hath ſinned, and they have alſo tranſgreſſed my Covenant. Whence I commend this to your obſervation;

That the violation of the Covenant of God is ſuch a ſinne as will make Iſrael turne their back before their Enemies.

I doe not intend a large diſcourſe about violation of Covenant, to ſet out the odious & provoking nature of that ſin. I ſhall only briefly doe two things. Firſt, I ſhall ſhew how a Covenant may be called the Covenant of God. Secondly, I ſhall proove that the breach of any Covenant that may be ſo called, is ſuch a ſinne as will make Iſrael turne their backs before their Enemies. For the firſt of theſe; How a Covenant may be called a Covenant of God. For of ſuch a Covenant the Text ſpeakes; They have tranſgreſſed My Covenant: and ſo the Doctrine, the violation of the Covenant of God, &c. Now a Covenant may be ſaid to be a Covenant of God, two wayes. 1 Either per modum obligationis: or 2. Per modum atteſtationis.

Firſt, per modum obligationis, when we do directly and immediately ingage and bind our ſelves unto God, when God is the Party covenanted with, as in our Sacramentall Covenants, and in all Covenants purely Religious both for matter and manner.

Or elſe a Covenant may be ſaid to be the Covenant of God, per modum atteſtationis, when a Covenant (though made betweene two equall parties) is yet made in the Name of God, and in the Sight of God; God is called to be a witneſſe to it, and an avenger of the Breach of it. So in that Covenant that Laban made betweene himſelfe and Iacob. Gen. 31.44. Come let us make a Covenant, I and thou, and marke what he ſaith after this Covenant, ver. 50. God is a witneſſe betweene me and thee: Such a Covenant as this, wherein the Obligation is unto Man, made in the Name of God, God counts his owne, no leſſe then a Covenant, the Obligation whereof is immediately to himſelfe: ſo you find Ezek. 17. the Covenant which the King of Iudah had made with the King of Babylon, God calls his Oath and his Covenant, ver. 19. Mine Oath that he hath diſpiſed, and my Covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompenſe upon his head. Now the Doctrine comprehends both theſe, and tels us that the violation of the Covenant of God, (that is of a Covenant either made directly and immediately with God; or made with others in the name and in the ſight of God) is ſuch a ſin, as will make Iſrael turne their back before their Enemies.

For the proofe of this (which is the ſecond thing I have to doe) beſides the Text before us, I ſhall onelyonly bring a Text or two, looke in the 78. Pſal. ver. 9, 10. you ſhall reade there, the children of Ephraim being harneſſed, and carrying bowes, turned back in the day of battell: They kept not the Covenant of God. The Children of Ephraim were daring men, couragious men, mighty men of valour: for ſo we reade of them in Scripture. The children of Ephraim, being Armed, that is with defenſive Armes: it may be as compleatly armed as that gyant of Gath, that had a helmet of braſſe, and a ſhield of braſſe and greaves of braſſe; Armed they were: and carrying bowes: furniſhed with offenſive armes that could eminus ferire, reach their Enemies at the beſt advantage at diſtance. The children of Ephraim being thus armed and carrying bowes, turned back in the day of battle; what ayled thee ô Ephraim that thou wert affraid? what ayled thee ô Ephraim that thou fleddeſt backward? They kept not the Covenant of God. There, there's the reaſon, had they kept the Covenant of God, God would have kept them; but they kept not the Covenant of God, and therefore it was not their Bow nor Harneſſe that could keepe them: being armed, and carrying bowes they turned back in the day of Battle: They kept not the Covenant of God.

So Ezek. 17.11. Iehoiakim King of Iudah had made a Covenant with the King of Babylon to be his Tributary, afterwards repents him; breakes his Covenant with the King of Babylon, ſends to Egypt for horſes and much people, and a mighty Army. Now ſaith God, ſhall he proſper? ſhall he eſcape that doth theſe things? ſhall he breake Covenant and be delivered? verſ. 15. No: Pharoah and all his mighty Army ſhall doe him no good: They ſhall all fall by the ſword, and they that remaine of him ſhall be ſcattered towards all winds, ver. 21. His breach of Covenant ſhall breake his army, were it never ſo mighty, and make it be as duſt before the winds, So Ier. 34. The Princes and people of Iudah had made a Covenant, (ver. 15.) that at the end of ſeven yeeres they would every man let his brother an Hebrew that had bin ſould unto him go free, according to the law of God in that caſe, Exod. 21.2. Deut. 15.12. yet afterwards they violated this Covenant, and cauſed their ſervants whom they had ſet free, to returne againe to their ſervice: therefore thus ſaith the Lord, ver. 18. I will give the men that have tranſgreſſed my Covenant, which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calfe in twaine, and paſſed betweene the parts thereof. I will even give them into the hand of their Enemies, and into the hand of them that ſeeke their life. See the proper puniſhment of breach of Covenant, is giving up to the luſt and will of blood-thirſty Enemies.

To theſe ſtories recorded in Sacred writ, I ſhall adde but one of latter times, the memorable ſtory of the famous battle of Varna, …ales …lefior…. Chr…. Carton. Lib. 15.fought Nov. 10. 1444. between Amarath the ſixt, Emperour of the Turkes, and Ʋladiſlaus King of Hungarie, one of the gallanteſt Souldiers the Chriſtiā world thē had: which Vladiſlaus having made a ſolemne League or Covenant of peace, with the Turke,Knolls his Turkiſh haſt …y. was afterwards perſwaded by Iulian the Popes Legate to violate that League, and make warre upon the borders of the Turkiſh Territories; whereupon the Turke rayſeth a mighty Army, takes the field: they joyne battell, the firſt Skirmiſhes ſeeme to promiſe victory to the Chriſtians; the Turkes were even almoſt put to flight: when Amurath plucks out of his boſome the writing, wherein the late League was comprehended, and holding it aloft in his hand, with eyes caſt up to Heaven, ſaith thus; Behold thou crucified Chriſt, this is the League thy people in thy name made with mee, and now have violated without cauſe: If thou be a God, as they ſay thou art, ſhew thy power, and powre out thy wrath upon this perjured people. Dictum, factum, God did juſtice upon the Appeale of an Enemy a Turke, who in his very appeale ſpake Blaſphemy: yet God will doe him Iuſtice; preſently the battel turnes, and it prooved a very bloody fatall day to the Chriſtian Army; the King and many of their chiefe Commanders ſlaine, the whole army routed, a great part of that Country loſt; nothing the cauſe of all this, more then breach of Covenant. The Violation of the Covenant of God is ſuch a ſinne as will bring diſaſter upon any Army under Heaven.

Now to apply this to our ſelves.

I am ſure you have not forgotten, for it is not yet a full yeare ſince you did with your hands lifted up to the moſt high, even in this place, Sweare a SOLEMNE LEAGUE AND COVENANT, in a moſt ſolemne and religious manner. I may ſay to you, as Ioſhua did unto the people, when they had renewed their Covenant with God, Ioſhua 24.27. Behold theſe ſtones are a witneſſe unto you, that you have made a Solemne Covenant with God, as ever people made. Sure you have not forgotten it. I am ſure God hath not; God remembreth it, God hath remembred it in mercy all this yeare hitherto: and now God ſeemes to begin to remember it in Iudgement. Me thinkes this ſtroake of God upon us ſo neere that time Twelve-monethmonth, wherein we tooke the Covenant, ſeemes to ſpeake as if God intended once a yeare to require an account of this Covenant at the hand of England. ô that we could call our ſelves to account this day. The Iewes have a proverbe, Non eſt paena ſuper Iſraelem in qua non ſit unci… vituli. There is no puniſhment upon Iſrael, in which there is not one ounce of the Golden Calfe, meaning thus; That was ſuch a tranſgreſſion, as it is in Gods remembrance, every time he plagues them, and hath ſome influence into every calamity that falls upon them. In like manner we may ſay, Non eſt poena ſuper Angliam in qua non ſit uncia Foederis. We fall under no puniſhment, but there is an ounce of our Covenant in it. I beſeech you pleaſe to review a little, ſome of the chiefe Articles of that Covenant, and ſee how we have obſerved it.

In the firſt, we engage our ſelves ſincerely, really and constantly to endeavour the Reformation of Religion in England and Ireland, in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government, according to the Word of God, and the Patterne of the beſt Reformed Churches. A bleſſed and glorious worke, which as it hath the firſt place in our Covenant, ſo challengeth and deſerveth the firſt and chiefe in our hearts. But what hath been done in this great work ſince the Covenant was taken? It is that God and man enquire after: What hath the Aſſembly done? what hath the Parliament done in the Reformation of Religion? When will ſome Order be ſetled for the Worſhip of God? When will the Government of the Church be eſtabliſhed according to the Word of God? I feare, God takes it very grievouſly, that ſince we have made a Covenāt for Reformation, we have ſpent now a year, & done ſo litle in it.

We have covenanted in like manner, without reſpect of Perſons, to endeavour the Extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, Superſtition, Schiſme, Prophanneſſe, and what ever ſhall be found contrary to ſound Doctrine and the Power of Godlineſſe. And bleſſed be God for the extirpation of Popery, Prelacie and Superſtition, much hath bin done. But (I know not by what unhappineſſe it is, but) ſo it is that this laſt yeare ſince we all covenanted to endeavour to our utmoſt (without respect of Perſons) to endeavour the extirpation of Hereſie and Schiſme; Hereſie and Schiſme have encreaſed upon us more then ever. We are grown beyond Arminianiſme, Browniſme, Anabaptiſme, we are come (I meane many among us) to down-right Libertiniſme. There are two opinions, which if encouraged, (& they are encouraged, if connived at) will open a door to Turciſme, Iudaiſme, Atheiſme, Polytheiſme, any monſter of opinion. The one is, That every man is to be left to the Liberty of his own Religion, an opinion contended for by the bloudy tenets, John Baptiſt, Liberty of Cōſcience, and the like Pamphlets:An opinion moſt pernicious and deſtructive, as to the ſouls of men, ſo to the Common-weale of the Kingdome. Gerhard …. com. de Magiſtratu. § 199.Libertas illa quidlibet credendi (ſaith Gerhard) nihil aliud est quam libertas errandi, &c. That Liberty of beleeving what men will (or of holding what faith they pleaſe) is no other then a Liberty of erring, and of erring in a matter that concernes the Eternall Salvation of the Soule, wherein to erre cannot but be moſt dangerous and deſtructive; and therefore (ſaith he) as it cannot be ſafe for ſheep to be left alone to wander in mountaines and deſerts, and graze in what paſtures they pleaſe: Lest they fall upon ſome unwholeſome herb, or become a prey to the Wolfe: And as it cannot be ſafe to leave a Ship to it ſelfe to be driven by the windes and waves without any guide or Steerage, leſt it daſh it ſelfe againſt the Rockes: So it cannot be ſafe for Magiſtrates to leave people to a Liberty of being of what Faith and what Religion they pleaſe; Leſt being carried away from the true Faith and Religion, they become a prey to deſtruction. Nor is any thing almoſt more deſtructive to a State or Common-weale. Praecipuum Concordiae vinculum eſt Religionis ſimilitudo & de cultibus Divinis Conſenſio. Likeneſſe of Religion, and agreement in the Worſhip of God is the ſtrongeſt Bond of Concord.Bucholc in Chronol. Nor is there any thing that doth more unite the Mindes of men then the ſame opinions of God, and Communion in ſacred things. On the contrary, Diverſity of Religion diſ-joynts and diſtracts the minds of men, and is the Seminary of perpetuall hatreds, jealouſies, ſeditions, warres, if any thing in the world be, and in a little time, either a Schiſme in the State begets a Schiſme in the Church, or a Schiſme in the Church begets a Schiſme in the State. That is, either Religion and the Church is prejudiced by Civill Contentions, or Church controverſies and disputes about opinions breake out into cruell warres.Quod à nobis avertat Deus! Men will at laſt take up ſwords and ſpeares in ſtead of Pens: and defend by Armes what they cannot doe by Arguments. Nor doe we want Examples that tell us, that Bella ſacra are managed with more enraged mindes then common warres are.Gualth. in Luc. cap. 10. For (as another ſaith) Conſtat nulla eſſe atrociora odia, &c. It is apparent that no hatred is ſo cruell, no diſſention ſo bitter, as that which ariſeth from difference in Religion. For ſuch is the Power of Religion, that it poſſeſſeth the whole man, and if once it degenerate into ſuperſtition, doth ſo enflame mens minds againſt thoſe of the contrary party, as they not only hate them, but are even mad againſt them, &c. And the more we have been ſometimes united in Religion and the wayes of God, the greater will the miſchiefe be that this Diverſity, ſhall I ſay, or Ʋniverſality of Religions and opinions pleaded for by ſome will lay us under.Philip. Cawer. in oper. ſacris. cap. 92. For Odia acerbiora & immortalia inter eos exiſtere ſolent qui in fide & Religione conjunctiſſimis animis fuere, &c. The bittereſt and moſt immortall hatred is uſually betweene thoſe that have ſometimes been of the moſt concordant mindes in Faith and Religion; and afterwards begin to differ: for nothing doth more alienate the mindes of men quam ſimilis vel diſpar Religio.

Once for all, it is the Preſervation and Reformation of Religion which you have covenanted to endeavour, and not a Liberty of opinion, that will conſiſt with neither. It is the Extirpation of Hereſie and Schiſme that you have covenanted: which if to be connived at, why doth the Apoſtle Paul reprove the Corinthians for their Schiſmes ſo much? and why doth our Lord Jeſus commend the Angel of the Church of Epheſus for trying thoſe which ſaid they were Apoſtles, and were not? And why is the Angel of the Church of Thyatira reproved for ſuffering that woman Jezabel, who called her ſelfe a Propheteſſe, to teach and ſeduce. If once we come to this that any man be ſuffered to teach what he pleaſeth, to ſeduce whom he liſts, to be of what Faith, or Religion ſeemes good in his owne eyes, farewell Covenant, farewell Reformed Religion, farewell the Peace and Glory of England. If that day once come. But you (Right Honourable) I hope better things of you, though I thus ſpeake. I hope while you live and ſit in Parliament this ſhall never be.Greg. Tholoz…de Repub. lib. 8. Fieri nec ſolet nec poteſt, ut quit Deum ſincerè & ex toto corde diligat, qui diverſas Religiones ſimul fovere deſiderat: certiſſimum enim oſt neutram credere qui contrarias admittit. It is not uſuall, nay, it is not poſſible that they which love God ſincerely ſhould deſire to cheriſh differing Religions: for it is moſt certain, he that admits contrary Religions beleeves neither of them.

There is a ſecond dangerous opinion (give me leave in the name not only of all the Miniſters of Chriſt in England, but of all the Miniſters that Chriſt hath in the world to complaine of it, it is this) That there is no Jus Divinum upon the Calling of the Miniſtry. To this purpoſe there was a Pamphlet lately put forth, bearing the Name of the compaſſionate Samaritane, that under pretence of pouring Wine and Oyle upon the wounded Anabaptiſts, (as he fancies them) poures the venome of Dragons and the gall of Aſpes not only upon the Aſſembly (who yet are to no other end an Aſſembly then that they may be ſerviceable to God and you in the things of Jeſus Chriſt) nor onelyonly upon the Miniſtry of the Church of England, for then I had held my peace at this time; but upon the whole Miniſtry of Chriſt through the world; and would make that Sacred and Tremend Function to be as meere an Impoſture, as very a myſtery of iniquity, as arrant a juggle as the Papacie it ſelfe. I ſhall not need tell you what Anvill this was forged upon, nor that the Principles of Anabaptiſme are as deſtructive to the Magiſtracie as they are to the Miniſtery. All that I ſay is this, the Lord make you mindfull of your Covenant, and wiſe and able to apply apt and ſeaſonable Remedies to theſe growing evils before they be incurable.

We have covenanted againſt Prophanneſſe too. But what hath beene done againſt? True it is you have made pious Ordinances for the ſtrict Obſervation of the Lords Day, and dayes of ſolemne Humiliation. But for want of a ſtrict courſe preſcribed, for the bringing of ſuch as ſhall yet dare to profane theſe dayes to ſevere and exemplary puniſhment, not onelyonly in the Countrey, but here in the Citie, and before your eyes, Sabbaths and Faſts are as much contemned as ever. It would be worthy of your ſecond thoughts, what further courſe to take for the better ſanctifying of thoſe Dayes. As alſo for the ſtopping of that Rage of all manner of prophanneſſe that in theſe looſe and arbitrary times breakes in as a floud upon us: and no wonder; Perverſe opinions, and perverſe manners alwayes walke hand in hand together.Buchol. in Chronol. O…nibus ſeculis Doctrinae coeleſtis corruptionem comitatur pu…u morum corruptela: quae tandem Regnis ultima fata attrahit. Common corruption of manners hath ever attended corruption of Doctrine; and this at length brings deſolation upon a Kingdome. We live in a ſtrange age for licentiouſneſſe of opinion, and as ſtrange for licentiouſneſſe of living; There was a thing done not many dayes ſince, not farre from this place, I think the like was hardly ever done before in England, or in the Chriſtian world, I meane that ſcandalous abominable—I know not what to call it, I doubt not but you know what I meane; how farre your wiſdomes will thinke fit to take notice of it, and enquire after it, I know not. But certainly it was ſuch an affront to the Justice of God, ſuch a dare to the power of his wrath now burning againſt us; ſuch a ſcorne to the whole Nobility, Gentry, and Parliament of England, as both your owne Honour and Gods call upon you to ſhew your juſt indignation againſt it: Had ſome young Gallants in Rome (while heathen) played ſuch a Trick the Cenſores morum would have at leaſt degraded them.

We have Covenanted, to bring Incendiaries, Malignants and evill inſtruments to puniſhment. Since this Covenant, God hath delivered many of yours, and the Kingdomes chiefe Enemyes into your hands. I will not inquire what Iuſtice you have done upon them; That may upon ſome prudentiall conſiderations be deferred poſſibly. But whether it be right in the ſight of God, that his and the Kingdomes Enemies, when God hath ſhut them up in your hand, ſhould not onelyonly have their Lives and their Eaſe, but their luſts, their ſinnes indulged them, and (which is the common complaint) in your priſons Sweare, and Drinke, and Gluttonize, and be as joviall, and as filthy, as in their owne Garriſons: whither this be right or no, conſider. Some poſſiby are ready to ſay to you,Petr. Nicol. Gelſtroup. as that poore ſmith in Thuring did to the Landt-grave of that Country (who was more mild then was for his peoples good) Dureſce, Dureſce, ô infoelix Landtgravie, &c. I know there ought to be in thoſe, into whoſe hands God hath put the ſword, a contemperature of Severity and clemency. The ſword of Iuſtice muſt be fourbiſhed with the Oyle of Mercy; yet there are caſes in which ſeverity ought to caſt the ſcale. I know not what to thinke of that ſaying of Tully: Si clementes eſſe voluerimus, Cicero Epiſt. ad Brutum.nunquam …erunt Bella civilia: yet there is a great deale of reaſon in that which one ſpeakes in confirmation of it,Zevecotius in Obſervatis Politi…is. cap. 14. Paena Lenior majorem peccandi occaſionem ſuggerit &c. a ſlight puniſhment doth but tempt men to wickedneſſe, while all men hope they may eſcape, and never be diſcovered: or if they be, they know before hand they ſhall goe away with it pretty cheape. Therefore ſaith the ſame writer, Laudo Venetos apud ques unicum publicae pecuniae denarium intervertiſſe, non infame ſolum eſt, ſed & Capitale. Conſilia & decreta patrum revelaſſe quempiam rarò auditum eſt, ſemper graviter punitum.

We have all Covenanted for our ſelves, and all that are under our power, both in Publike & in Private, in all duties we owe to God and man, to amend our Lives, and each to goe before other, in the example of a Reall Reformation: had we kept this Covenant, ô what Saints ſhould we have bin: all our families would have bin as ſo many Churches: England would by this time have been the Holy Iſland: we had not now been faſting, and weeping, and mourning, but rejoycing, and ſinging, & praiſing. But, I beſeech you Beloved, tell me, is there that Evidence of Perſonall and Family Reformation, that ſuch a Covenant as this did ſeeme to promiſe? Look upon the Families of Lords, Gentlemen, Citizens, where is ſuch a Reformation as this Covenant binds us to? Me thinks in all theſe particulars, It is too too evident that we have tranſgreſſed our Covenant. We have ſinned, and tranſgreſſed our Covenant. The Lord help us to lay this ſin to heart. There is indeed a double violation of Covenants: the one through wilfulneſſe, this I hope you are free from. The other through unmindfulneſſe; This may be chargeable upon Gods owne Servants, They were not mindfull of his Covenant, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Now even this is cauſe of Humiliation to us. I remember the Day wherein we tooke the Covenant together in this place, was like the Day of laying the foundation of the ſecond Temple. A Day of ſhouting, & a Day of weeping. A Day of joy, and a Day of trembling. A Day of joy and ſhouting, to ſee Parliament, Miniſters, People, ſo willingly offer to joyne themſelves in Covenant to the Lord; 'twas ſuch a Day as England never ſaw before: and yet withall a Day of Trembling & Weeping. The Lord knowes there was many a gracious heart trembled that day, for fear we ſhould tranſgreſſe the Covenant we then made. And now, behold, your eyes ſee, even yours; we have done ſo in too great a meaſure. O what ſhould our Weeping, and Trembling be before the Lord this Day. O let every one of us take up a Lamentation and cry with Ezra: O my God, I am aſhamed, & confounded, and bluſh to lift up my face unto thee, ô my God. Behold, we are before thee in our ſins and treſpaſſes: and cannot ſtand before thee becauſe of this. O let us be humbled for our Covenant breaches paſt, and if we would not have God go on to break and blaſt our Armies, let us not only renew our Covenants (which is a part of the worke of this day) but let us be mindfull of and faithfull to our Covenants; or never look to have God more with our Armies. The Lord tels Joſhua plainly in the 12. verſe of this Chap. Neither will I be with you any more, till you have deſtroyed the accurſed thing frō among you. Breach of Covenant is an accurſed thing. It is a polluting of the great and dreadfull Name of the Lord our God. The Lord our God is a jealous God. We cannot expect he ſhould be any more with us, while ſuch a provocation is among us.

FINIS.

End of the text · Matthew Newcomen, Sermon before Houses of Parliament (1644)

Sermon before Houses of Parliament, Sermon

p. 1A Sermon preached before both Houſes of Parliament at their extraordinary ſolemne Faſt, Sept. 12. 1644.

A Sermon preached before both Houſes of Parliament at their extraordinary ſolemne Faſt, Sept. 12. 1644.