128 A MEMORIAL Of THE DF.LIVEUANCE
might become as children, their persons slain, and trodden down in the field, can we but cry, ' Lord, what are we, and what is our house that thou shouldst do such thin<j;s for us V A serious view of what God hath done in this nation of late, what armies he hath destroyed, what strong holds demo- lished, what proud haughty spirits defeated, what consulta- tions made vain, is enough to make us admire the riches of his love all our days. We may know what esteem a man sets upon a jewel, by the price he gives for it. Surely God values them for whom he hath given the honours, the parts, the polities, the lives of so many tall cedars, as of late he hath done. The loving-kindness of God to his church is seen, as in a glass, in the blood of their persecutors.
2, The manifestation of God's sovereignty, power, and justice, is as dear to him, as the manifestation of his mercy. The properties he lays out in destruction are equally glorious with those he lays out in preservation. In the proclamation of his glorious name he omits them not; Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. In these he triumpheth gloriously, when he hath overthrown the horse and his rider in the sea; Exod. xv.
Use. Let not our eyes in the late deliverance be alv.ays on the light side of the work, our own mercies : the dark side of terror and judgment is not without its glory. The folly that was in their counsels, the amazement that was in their armies, the trembling that accompanied all their undertak- ings, the tympanous products of all their endeavours, do all cry out, ' Digitus Dei est hie' Had not God shewed infinite wisdom, they had not been so abundantly foolish : had not he been infinite in power, the many thousands of enemies had not been so weak.
In the late engagement in this country, when God stirred us up, with some others in these parts, to make some oppo- sition to the enemy gathering at Chelmsford, what were, think you, the workings of God's providences against them? How came it to pass that we were not swallowed up by them? For,
1. They were desirous to ruin us : if we may judge their desires to answer their interest ; or their expressions, with the language of their friends round about us, to answer their desires.
2, They were able to do it. They had from the begin-
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iiino^, and so all along, near as many thousands as we had hundreds, of them very many old experienced soldiers, with us not three men that had ever seen any lighting.
3. They were resolved to do it. Witness their own con- fessions, and frequent declarations of their purposes, whilst the business was in agitation.
4. They were provoked to it. For the first and only con- siderable opposition was made to them in this place : first, by hindering their assistance from Colchester, which how much they valued, witness the senseless letter they would have forced the committee to subscribe, to persuade us not to dis- turb their levies there; secondly, suppressing and discou- raging all those affected to them and their designs in these parts of the country, restraining some, disarming others, awing all; thirdly, hastening the coming of the army, lest their friends should suffer; fourthly, encouraging, their com- ing, by declaring that they had friends here ; by which, and the like, they were abundantly provoked.
5. That they were also invited to it, though by persons somewhat inconsiderable, with promises of a full party of friends to assist them, which they might have had, and a rich booty from their enemies to support them, which they might have found, is too apparent.
Now being thus advantaged, thus encouraged, thus pro- voked, and resolved, why did they not attempt it, why did they not accomplish their desires? Is it not worth the while to consider how they were restrained V Was not much of God's wisdom seen in mixing a spirit of giddiness and error in the midst of them ; that they knew not well how to determine, nor at all to execute their determinations? Was not his power seen in causing experienced soldiers as they were, with their multitudes, to be afraid of a poor handful of unskilful men, running together because they were afraid to abide in their houses ? Was not his justice exalted, in keep- ing them only for the pit which they had digged for others? Doubtless the hand of God was lifted up. O that we could all learn righteousness, peculiarly amongst ourselves of this place ! Is there nothing of God to be discerned, in the vexa- tions, birthless consultations, and devices of our observers?
f Gen. XX. 6. Psal.lxxvi, 10, VOL. XV. K
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Nothing of power in their restraint? Nothing of wisdom in the self-punishment of their anxious thoughts? Nothing of goodness, that after so long waiting for advantage, they beoin themselves to think, that neither divination nor en- chantment will prevail ?
XV. Observation. The measuring out of God's people's portion fills Cushan with affliction, and Midian with trem- bling.
Their eye is evil, because God is good. Israel's increase is Pharaoh's trouble ; Exod. i. 10. When Neheraiah comes to build the walls of Jerusalem, it grieved the enemy exceed- ingly, * that one was come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel ;' Nehem. ii. 10. This is the season of that dispensa- tion which you have mentioned, Isa.lxv. 13 — 15. ' Thus saith the Lord, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty : be- hold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed : behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit. And ye shall,' &c.