Sermon before Houses of Parliament, Title page – Dedication
A SERMON, TENDING To ſet forth the Right Vſe of the DISASTERS that befall our ARMIES.
PREACHED Before the Honourable Houſes of Parliament, at a Faſt ſpecially ſet apart upon Occaſion of that which befell the Army in the Weſt.
In Margarets Weſtminſter, Sept. 12. Anno 1644.
BY Matthew Newcomen, Miniſter of the Goſpell at Dedham in Eſsex.
JUDG. 20.26.
Then all the children of Iſrael, and all the people went up, and came unto the houſe of God, and wept, and ſate there before the Lord, and faſted that day untill Even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
1 SAM. 14.58.
And Saul ſaid, Draw ye neere hither all the Chiefe of the people: and know and ſee wherein this ſin hath been this day.
1 SAM. 26.19.
And David ſaid unto the King, If the Lord have ſtirred thee up againſt me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, curſed be th…y before the Lord.
LONDON, Printed by George Miller for Chriſtopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard. 1644.
Die Veneris, 13. Septembr. 1644.
IT is this day ordered by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament, That Sir Thomas Cheeke doe returne the Thankes of this Houſe unto Maſter Newcomen, for the great paines he tooke in his Sermon yeſterday, being a particular day of Humiliation: and alſo Sir Robert Harley to doe the like to Maſter Coleman, and to deſire them to print their Sermons, And it is ordered, That none ſhall preſume to print their Sermons without leave under their hand writing.
H. Elſynge Cler. Parl. D. Com.
I doe appoint Christopher Meredith to print this Sermon,
MATTH. NEWCOMEN.
TO THE HONOVRABLE The Houſes of PARLIAMENT.
THe publiſhing of this Sermon (what ever the preaching of it was) may ſeeme (Right Honourable) as unſeaſonable as that Conſolatory Embaſſy the Trojans ſent to the Emperour Tiberius upon the death of his ſon Druſus, Sueton. in Tiberio.which came ſo extremely late, that the Emperour, to requite their kindneſſe, tels them, That as they were ſorry for the death of his ſon, ſo was he for the death of their Hector; implying that they were both equally forgotten. Poſsibly that ſad Accident in the West, which firſt miniſtred occaſion for the preaching of this Sermon, is ſo too, and then quorſum haec? if at all, why not ſooner? if not ſooner, why now? I might plead many things in mine own excuſe, why not ſooner? My avocations & employments ſince the preaching of this Sermon have been ſo many, that had I been moſt deſirous of obeying your Command for the printing of it; I could ſcarce ſooner have accompliſhed it, but I muſt confeſſe my deſire was that this unworthy piece (the conception of ſo few houres) might never have out-lived the houre in which it was delivered, except (by the bleſsing of God) in the hearts of thoſe that heard it. But then why now? why at all made publike? God is my Record, the only reaſon that extorts this from me at this time is, becauſe we are ſtill encompaſſed with the Evidences of that Diſpleaſure, which in the Weſt began to break out upon us, which makes me feare, that ſome of that heart-ſearching, ſin-diſcovering, heart-humbling, Covenant-acting work which God then call'd us to, hath on ſome hand or other been neglected. We whom God hath made Seers to his people must not ſhut our eyes, Ez…k. 33.…3. &c.and refuſe to ſee what God reveales, nor lay our hands upon our mouths, and fear to declare what we ſee. And certainly you have it from the mouth of more then one or two, or a few of thoſe that preach before you, that God is very ſore diſpleaſed ſtill. There are manifeſt ſignes of Gods diſpleaſure againſt a Nation, ſuch as every eye that beholds them, may read wrath and indignation in them. And there are ſecret intimations of Gods diſpleaſure,… oculi … ex…on… …, ipa…s …amen quo …ram Dei indi …nt, cognoſcuntur. Ma…. loc. com. which though they be viſible in themſelves yet few know how to interpret them, and to collect the diſpleaſure of God from them. The ſword is a manifeſt ſigne of Gods wrath againſt the Nation. Iob 19.29. Be ye afraid of the ſword: for wrath bringeth the puniſhment of the ſword, that you may know there is a Iudgement. But beſides this, there are Characters, though all cannot read them, of Gods indignation againſt his own people in this Kingdome, against thoſe that have appeared & engaged themſelves for him. There is, that ſaith, When God is angry with a people,Leſs: de Perfectionibus Divinis, li. 13. c. 10. and intends to daſh them in pieces, he leaves them ſine animo, ſine concilio, &c. without heart, without Councill, without ſtrength, without fit Commanders; ſo involved with difficulties forreigne and domestick, they know not how poſsibly to extricate themſelves. If one give good counſell, preſently another by captious arguments overthrowes it, & thoſe that ſhould judge of both, have not light enough to diſcerne, which is for the publike ſafety and which deſtructive. If any opportunity of Service be preſented, either there is no notice takē of it, or to ſave a little charges, it is neglected, or none knowes how to improve it. Dangers imminent, are either not fore-ſeen, or ſlighted: Traitors creepe in, that diſcover their Councels to their enemies. There are jealouſies & factions among their great men, in favour whereof, one ſtudies to croſſe the deſignes and ſucceſſes of the other, though the Publike be undone by it. The Treaſury is wasted in needleſſe expences; the ſouldiers mutine and are ſeditious, and when they have plundered a Country, must have as much given them to forbeare plundering as would maintain a war. Finally, while all ſeek their own profit, & no mans heart is upon the Publike good, all runs to ruine. On the contrary, the enemies whom God intends to puniſh that people by, though they be far more wicked and ungodly, yet they proſper, their courage, their ſtrength increaſes; they take opportune counſels, they know how to improve & purſue advantages; there is great concord among their Leaders; no man ſeeks to undermine & overthrow another; no man blends his own private quarrels with the Publike Cauſe. In a word, all things ſucceed as if God favoured their cauſe, & directed their counſels, when yet their cauſe is unjust, and their intentions wicked, and there is nothing further from their heart then God.
But this Diſcourſe you need not, much leſſe any Application of it, who are apprehenſive of this already, and have therefore ſet your ſelves very lately to ſeeke the Lord, and Attonement with him, by Faſting and Humiliation, in ſuch away as never Parliament did before you. That God who hath put it into your hearts thus to ſeeke him,In the Eaſt i… Linco…nes-Inne Chappell, kept Decemb. 18. grant that you and we may find ſuch fruit & ſucceſse therof in your ſelves, Counſels, Armies, as this poore Church and Nation, after ſo many dayes of mourning, may once take up that ſong of praiſe, Iſai. 12.1. O Lord, I will praiſe thee: though thou waſt angry with me, yet thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedſt me. This is the Prayer of
Your Honours moſt unworthy, yet faithfull and ſincere Servant MATTH. NEWCOMEN.