The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon, Title page – Dedication
THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON:
To this is ſubjoined a Prayer for an Armie going to Battell, and a thankſgiving after the Victorie.
By M. Zachary Boyd, preacher of Gods word at Glaſgow.
Prov. 21.31. The horſe is prepared for the day of Battell, but ſafety is of the Lord.
Printed at Glaſgow by George Anderſon, 1643.
UNTO HIS EXCELLENCE MY LORD GENERALL LESLY, EARLE OF LEAVEN, &c.
Pleaſe your EXCELLENCE.
MOre then fifeteene hundred yeares ago Chriſts beloved Diſciple heard a loud voice, ſaying in heaven. Wo to the inhabitants of the earth; the reaſon is ſubjoined,Rev. 12.12 for the Divel is come downe, having great wrath, becauſe he knoweth that he hath but a ſhort time; his time is now ſhorter, therefore his rage is increaſed, for this cauſe hath he taken the Antichriſt, the man of ſin by the hand,2 Theſ. 2.3 who with all his followers breath nothing but crueltie.
It is storied of the mother of Dominicus, who after became a grea… patron of Monks, that when ſhe wa… with childe of him ſhe dreamed tha… ſhe had in her womb a wolfe, wit… a burning torch in his mouth; ſuc… indeed be all Babels beaſts that cam… out of the Antichriſtian den, t… whelps of that great beaſt of Rom… they are all Ravenous wolves, Mat. 7.15th… have nothing in their minde but fi… and Gunpowder, to blow up Kin… and Parliaments, and if that ſu… ceed not; to make havock of all renting the head from the member even the King from his moſt faithfu… Subjects, whom they at this time (… being the loyall Catholick Subject… declare to be but traitours and r… bels, as if the Fox would make t… flock believe, that the ſhepheards d… were their great enemie and did d… prive them of many faire Prerog… tives, but if he were in his place, th… ſhould have all according to the Good will and Pleaſure.
This is the maine quarrell of Bri…aine this day; Satan in great wrath with the forces of Antichriſt are in …he open field; The Lord is going to Battell againſt them, and he hath …hoſen your Excellence to be his Gide…n; Heer is the Sword, even the Sword of the Lord, and of Gideon; I offer it to your Excellence, as …eartily as ever Jonathan gave unto David his Sword and his Bow.1 Sam. 18.4
My alleagance to my dear Maſter Chriſt, neceſſitates all my endeavoures to help forward the Good Cauſe, both by tongue and pen; that man is happy of whom men may truely ſay, that which Chriſt ſaid of the Woman that powred the ointment on his head,Mark. 14.8 ſhe hath done what ſhe could.
This little book, even that which I could, is come to your Excellence to beg a look of favour; It is not from any preſumption of its worth that it durſt look ſo high; a lower patron might well have ſerved higher meditations; but love whiles maketh folke too forward; it made Mary to striv… to get Chriſt in her armes when i… was not lawfull to touch him.Joh. 20.17
Your Excellence loyaltie, courag… and zeal, ſtill levelling at Gods glory maketh you ſo dear to all his faithfu… ſervants, that glad would we all b… to have any thing that might be t… you for a teſtimonie of our ſincer… affection towards you, A mite of love is better than a million of complements.
While in modeſtie I diſparag… this worke, as it is from m… ſelfe, yet I can not in niceneſſ… altogether deny, but GOD hat… made my penne to hit upon diver… things, which may bring profit… to the Reader: What ever th… worke bee after it hath been both preached, penned, and printed if it bee not ſo precious as purple and blevv ſilke, vvhichwhich the riche… ſort did affoord at the making of the Tabernacle, yet let it bee but like Goats-haire the poore mans gift, I vvith a moſt willing minde offer it to the Lord, vvho accepted as vvell the poore mans pigeon, as the rich mans ox for a Sacrifice:Lev. 12.8 This being ſuch an offering for GOD, I humbly deſire, that by the vvay it may get a favourable glance of your Excellence eye, under vvhoſe patronage it may be reſpected in the going forth by your honourable authoriſing, though it come far ſhort both of your Excellence deſert, and of mine ovvne deſire; the treatiſe is ſmall, but it is an Earneſt of more; that little I have, or am, is most ſincerely at your Excellence ſervice, for vvhom the Urims and Tummims of Levi in this land, ſhall daylie bee preſented before the Lord; our altars ſhall ſtill reeke vvith the incenſe of hearty prayers for your proſperitie and happineſſe.
While at the Battell of Amaleck, Joſhuah fought in the valley, Moſes prayed on the mountaine; Exod. 17 11So vvhile your Excellenc… Gods Joſhuah ſhall in the valle… fight for GODS Iſrael again… Papiſts, Prelats, and Arminians Satans black Squadrons, vv… the ſervants of the LORD vvi… climb the hill, and hold up ou… hands by prayers unto God, ſ… that your Excellence may boa… Gods enemies, and ſay unto them as Abijah threatned the idolate… of King Jereboams armie,2 Chro. 13 12 Behold God himſelf is with u… for our Captaine, and his Prieſt with ſounding Trumpets, to cr… alarme againſt you.
Novv Chriſt that great Jehovah the Captaine of the Lord hoſt, the God of Battels, protect you… perſon, perfect your graces, proſpe… your vvayes, prolong your dayes, direct your armie, make you ſtill victorious, comfortable to your friends,Cant. 6.10 terrible to your foes, as an armie with banners, that after yee vvith honour have finiſhed your courſe, 2 Tim. 4.7and fought the good fight on earth, yee may get glory in heaven vvith all theſe faithfull Commanders, theſe noble vvarriours, theſe great Generals of Gods armies, Moſes, Joſhua, Barak, Gideon, Jephte. Samſon, and Samuel, and all others GODS vvorthies, vvhoſe names are vvritten in the Booke of life.
Your Excellence moſt humble ſervant, M. Zachary Boyd. From Glaſgovv the 27 of November, 1643.
THE SVVORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON.
Pſal 60. verſ. 11. Give us help from trouble, for vaine is the help of man.
12. Through GOD wee ſhall doe valiantly; for he it is that ſhall treade downe our enemies.
THat was a worthy ſpeach of S. Auguſtin, Aug. conf. 6. Deus unicum habet filium ſine peccato, nullum ſine flagello.God hath one Son vvithout ſin, but none vvithout ſuffering; The righteous are onelyonly Gods children, and theſe are the men of many troubles,Pſal. 34.19 many are the troubles of the righteous; Note.By this means their ſoules are bleached, Dan. 12.10and as Daniel ſaith, are tryed and made vvhite.
As for the wicked whoſe beſt fruites on earth are but ſtincking hemlocks, Am 6.12 Pſal. 73.5they both bud and flouriſh; they are not in trouble like other men, neither are they plagued like other men; the paltry pleaſures of the earth make them to forget God, their Saviour Chriſt, and the precious ſoul that lieth in their boſome;Pſal. 73.6 becauſe they proſper, therefore pride compaſſeth them about as a chaine; violence covereth them as a garment; Note.All their joy is without and not within, becauſe they want a good conſcience, the Bird of the Boſome which ſings moſt ſweetly in the day of trouble; they are rocked in ſecuritie and often live in outward eaſe, untill the end come; then doth the Lord caſt them down to deſtruction; As a dreame vvhen one avvaketh he will deſpiſe their image, Pſal. 73.20that is, their ſhadowes, their tranſitorie eſtate, the moment of their fugitive folies and fadding pleaſures: He that hath beene in the Sanctuary, a Scholler of God, will never envie their proſperitie. No, not; let them keep ſtill their honours, and their rents, and their riches, and their glory, and all their good things, I leave them in their peſtilent path unto him who is the righteous Lord, who is preparing for them Tophet, a pit,Iſa. 30.33 a lake of fire, eternall flames, ſtreames of brimſtone and gnaſhing of teeth; hell it ſelf is groaning for them.
My chief earand in this pſalme, is to ſeeke out wiſedome for to teach the godly what to do in the dayes of their diſtreſſe; the text is moſt fit for this purpoſe, it ſends you away from men to ſee… the help of God, Give us hel… from trouble, for vaine is the hel… of man, through GOD vve ſha… do valiantly, &c. Theſe are word moſt fitting for a Commander when with his troupes he marcheth to the Battell; THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON, are the matter of m… Text.