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Be not afraid nor dismay'd by▪ reason of this great multi∣tude; for the Battel is not yours, but God's.
THE Context runs thus, And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye Inhabitants of Jeru∣salem, and thou King Jehosha∣phat: Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid, nor dismaied
by reason of this great multitude; for the Battel is not yours, but God's.
These are the words of God, which he commanded Jahaziel the Prophet to deliver to Jeho∣shaphat King of Judah. When the Moabites and Ammonites came to make War against him, to dispossess him of his Kingdom, verse the 8th of this Chapter, and may be a seasonable Text for this Auditory.
Our Sins indeed are many, which have justly provoked God's heavy Wrath against us: and our Enemies are very nu∣merous which surround us, therefore now let us cry mightily unto God, earnestly beseeching him, that he would pardon all our Sins, blot out all our Iniquities, and receive us graciously; let us sincere∣ly repent and be heartily sorry for our manifold Transgres∣sions committed against him, so shall we by his Divine Assistance
be in a readiness to encounter with Roman Malice, these Moa∣bites and Ammonites, who are E∣nemies to our Lives, Religion, Laws, and Liberties; and be animated with Courage to go out cheerfully against Rome's Force and Cruelties, fighting manfully the Lord's Battel, e∣very one of us, laying his hand upon his Heart, with this comfortable Expression in our Mouths, Be not afraid, nor dismaied by reason of this great multi∣tude, for the Battel is not ours, but God's.
Servile Fear is the harbin∣ger of the Guilty, and a slavish timorousness belongs not to the Strong and Couragious, but a God like Fear attends upon the Vertuous, and pro∣duces Success in their Under∣takings. Holy Job that great Proficient in God's School, and great Example of Christian Patience tells you, Job 28. 28.
The fear of the Lord, that is Wisdom; and to depart from Evil is Under∣standing. This is the only su∣pream Good and Fear, which secures us from committing, shameful Acts, and creates a circumspection in our Lives; for as the shadow of the Body is followed by the Sun, so doth Glory attend Vertue in our progress to Christ. Let us then put our whole trust in God, in this time of danger, and take the Royal Prophets resolution, Psal. 118. 6. Not to fear what man can do unto us; but rather fear the Lord, who pi∣tieth those that fear him, Psal. 103. 13.
It is the Duty of every one of us to be circumspect in our Lives, but more especially at this season and time of Afflicti∣on, when the hand of God is stretched out against us; when the Enemy waits even at our doors ready to devour us, when
they stand gaping ready to swallow us up quick, and none of us can prognosticate how soon his Life may be lost, or be in danger; therefore it be∣hoves us to lay hold on that Advice which St. Paul gave the Ephesians, Ephes. 6. 10, 11. Be ye strong in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might. Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to stand. So shall we be fortified with that Courage which is mentioned here in my Text, of being not afraid, or dismaied by reason of this great multi∣tude, for the Battel is not ours, but God's.
Be not afraid, or dismaied by rea∣son of this great multitude, is the Command of God, and there∣fore in obedience to his Com∣mand let us humbly obey his Divine Order, and valiantly fight under his Protection. A multitude there is, and very great; what then, the Battel is
God's, and David tells us, 1 Chron. 16. 5. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is also to be feared above all Gods. The mul∣titude here in my Text were Moabites, and Ammonites; but the multitude which layeth close Siege to us, are Jesuits and bloudy Papists, whose damnable Principles, and hellish Do∣ctrines are to quench the light of the Gospel, to root and de∣stroy all Christianity, who blasphemously think to gain Heaven by Massacring God' People, and triumph in the effussion of shedding innocent Bloud: it is their Glory to lay Kingdoms wast, and Coun¦tries desolate, reduce Cities to Ashes, and ruine Families those which will not fall down to worship their Idols, false Gods of Wood and Stone, are fit objects of their Fury; their Cruelty is beyond what Ma∣lice can invent, or Hell ima∣gine,
and Solomon gives a true Character of them, Prov. 27. 4. Wrath is cruel, and Anger is out∣ragious; but who is able to stand be∣fore Envy?
But God will pour out his Wrath upon them, and shoot at them with his Arrows, that they shall be wounded, his Ven∣geance will speedily overtake, and drown them, like harden'd Pharaob in the red Sea of Per∣dition; let him who hath pro∣voked God to Anger, lay his hand on his Heart, and now say with Nehemiah, Shall such an one as I flie? Shall I whom God hath honoured so much, dishonour him by Oaths so greatly? who am placed in an higher Sphere than others, be ei∣ther a dim or a wandering Star? Shall I who am most obliged to God by the Bonds of Wealth and Power, exceed the bounds of Truth and Ju∣stice? whom he hath made a Ruler of the People, not rule my self and my own Kingdoms according to his Gol∣den
Rule? God forbid. God will not permit their Romish poli∣cy to overthrow our Christian Piety, he will not suffer them to break the bruised Reed of the Di∣stressed, nor quench the smoaking Flax of their Necessities, he will be a Lamp unto our Feet, and a Light un∣to our Path in this Extremity; there∣fore be not afraid, or dismaied by rea∣son of this great multitude, &c.
We must every one of us look upon this great Affliction as sent from God, for he knows what is better for us, than we do for our selves; and that which seems most evil at present, may turn at last to our greatest benefit. None of us ought to despair of God's Mer∣cy, for when our weak Appre∣hensions of God are such as drive us from him, we over∣throw the main end of Religi∣on, which is to bring God, and our selves nearer toge∣ther. None ought to exclude
themselves from God's Mercy, whom he excludes not from it; and God excludes none, whom he invites to repent, with a promise of forgiveness, if they do it: and the goodness and long suffering, and forbear∣ance of us Sinners, is on pur∣pose design'd to lead us to Re∣pentance; so that after all this, to despair, and fail in our Courage, is only to reject the Mercy which God offers, but to question his truth and sin∣cerity, to slight his Patience, to disparage his Goodness, and to look upon him as a most re∣vengeful and implacable Be∣ing, is to admit and en∣tertain most dishonourable and unworthy Thoughts of the Best, the Wisest, the most merciful and compassionate Be∣ing in the World, who hath proclaim'd himself, Exod. 34. 6, 7. To be a God merciful and gra∣cious, long-suffering, and abundant
in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mer∣cy for thousands, for giving Iniquity, Transgresson, and Sin; that is, to all that truly repent: So that when we consider, we have no reason to despair of his Mer∣cy to us, but readily and wil∣lingly to obey his Command, and not shrink from those prin∣ciples which prompt us to his Honour and Glory, in whose Service is perfect freedom; but to rouse up our selves like Men, stand upon our Guard, fortifie our selves and be vigi∣lant, not being afraid, or dis∣maied by reason of this great multi∣tude; for it is God's cause which we fight for, and our Lives cannot be better imploy∣ed than in his Service, from whom we received all we have, or can pretend to; there∣fore let us press forwards in o∣bedience to his Command, for the Battel is not yours, but God's.
When the Lord's Battel is to be fought, we must endea∣vour to follow his holy Order and Discipline, and not our own sinfull Lusts and Appe∣tires, like brute Beasts, which have no understanding: Let us seriously consider, I beseech you, what it is we fight for? it is to defend our Religion, and oppose Idolatry? to main∣tain Truth, and beat down Falshood? to exalt Glory, and decry Shame? and to enjoy our Freedom, and not espouse Slavery? Let happy England now be our pattern for Loyal∣ty Magnanimity & Courage; then shall we arrive at that se∣rene State, which holy David expresses, Psal. 85. 10. where Mercy and Truth are met together, Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other; if on the contrary we revolt, nothing can be ex∣pected but Parisian Slavery to ••••thrall us, and Romish Idola∣try
to attend us: Have we not felt the smarting Rod of Po∣pery for many years? yea, within a few years, when Legality was changed into Ar∣bitrary Government; Ortho∣dox Religion grosly invaded and innovated; Popish Do∣ctrines publickly preached; Crucifixes erected; Adora∣tion to Saints and Altars pra∣ctised, and Ten Ave Maria's said for one Pater Nesler? The same may be said of Ireland, as once a Reverend Divine wit∣tily said of England: Though it was but a little Place, yet there was a great deal of ROME in it. And shall not I visit for these things? saith the Lord, shall not my Soul be a∣••enged on such a Nation as this? Jer. 5. 9. yes surely, God will a∣venge himself, and defeat all their Policies; he will laugh a•• their Galamity, and meek when the •••••••• cometh, when their fear come as desolation, and destruction as
Whirlwind. Prov. 1. 25, 26, 27. he is able, and will deliver us, if we trust in him; he has pro∣mised us, who will not break his Word: Psal. 50. 15. Call up∣on me in the time of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. Therefore let us be all of one mind, and not halt be∣tween Two Opinions, but stand fast, Fear not, nor be dis∣mayed, for the Battel is not ours, but God's.
Is it God's Battel we are to fight? let not sloth then seize upon us, or a supine Careless∣ness take hold of us; but let us quit our selves like Men, and fight, 1 Sam. 4. 9. securing to our selves that Religion, the Light of that glorious Gospel God hath given us, not for∣getting to take the Prophet Jeremiah's Counsel, in the 6. w••ap. of his Prophecy, ver. 16. pe••nd ye in the way, and see and ask 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the good old paths, where is the
good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest unto your Souls. The well compacted Hedge of our Laws was trodden down: let us therefore be diligent, and repair those breaches our Sins have made, by our ear∣nest Supplications to the Throne of Grace; so true is that Maxime, Inter Arma, silent Leges, The Voice of Law can∣not be heard for the noise of Drums, and the threatning Cannon. O let Policy now amongst us ever give place to Piety; and now let me exhort the chiefest amongst us, be∣seeching you to let your pri∣vate Affections be swallowed up in the common Cause, as small Rivers lose their Name in the Ocean. That practice of Pompey deserveth well your observation and imitation, who when his Soldiers would needs leave the Camp, threw himself down at the narrow
Passage, and bid them goe, but they should tread first up∣on their General. So let your pious Resolutions, and valiant Examples stir up the Courage of our weak Brethren; ex∣pose your selves to the worst of dangers, and endure the bru••••t, that they may not de∣sert you; may it be your Glo∣ry in after Ages, to be loudly proclaimed, that you were the Champions of the Lord to fight his Battel; that you stood in defence of your Re∣ligion against gross Idolatry; that you promoted Peace a∣gainst bloudy Persecution; and rather choose to endure Affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the Plea∣sures of Sin for a Season. In our Duty in Matters of Reli∣gion, we are no farther to walk after Ruler's Commands, than they walk after God's; Fatherly power is the rise of
all Authority; and yet our Saviour tells us, He that loves Father or Mother more than him, is not worthy of him, Mat. 10. 37. Parents must be honoured, but God preferred; it is as true in regard of Regal as Pa∣ternal Authority; the Instan∣ces of the Hebrew Midwives, Exod. 1. 17. the three Wor∣thies, and Daniel, are obvi∣ous to all, Dan. 3. 18. 6. 10. That Epithete that was given to B••c••n of Doctor Resolutus, in this Case well becomes every Christian. It was a just Re∣solve of Luther in divine Mat∣ters, Cedo nulli; and a remarka∣ble Speech of the Apostles. Acts 4. 19. 5. 29. That we ought to obey God rather than Men; it is true, when the supream Au∣thority enjoins what God in∣hibits, we must patiently un∣dergo the punishment inflict∣ed, but not willingly walk af∣ter the Commandment pre∣scribed.
It was a pious Speech of King Henry the Eighth to Sir Thomas More, when he made him Chancellour, Look first at God, then at me. St. Augustine's Rule is excellent, The Supream Power hath a Superiour in Heaven; for fear of one, we must contemn the other; the one may threa∣ten the Prison, but the other has ordained Hell. In a word, neither must Princes leave the People to their own Will, nor the People conform them∣selves to the Prince's Will, but both to God's Will in Matters of Religion, lest o∣therways both Prince and People be consumed.
But, O Lord, we have sin∣ned against thee, and as the Prophet David says Psal. 76. 7. Who can stand in thy sight, when thou art angry? no Bounds could keep us from Sinning, and therefore God's Wrath knows no Bounds in punishin•…•…
our Transgression was above Measure, so God's Judgment is without Measure. It is St. Chrysostom's Note, concer∣ning that fiery shower which God rained upon Sodom, That as the Sodomites inverted the course of Nature, to seek Woman in Man; so God changed the Or∣der, by showring down Fire instead of Water. Thus doth the Almighty's Justice ever proportion the Smart to the Fault; so that here we may at once behold the greatness of our Sin in the punishment, and the fitness of the punishment to the Sin; Invasion, and be∣ing Besieged by Romish Adver∣saries, for our neglecting God's Commands, which ought to be our Rule, and de∣spising of his Goodness, which should lead us Sinners to Re∣pentance.
But as the Water that is poured on the Earth, can ne∣ver be gathered up again; so let us pour out all our Sins, and God will not pour out all his Wrath: let us speedily cast a∣way the filth of our Trans∣gressions, and he will soon stop the current of his Indignati∣on; let us cheerfully reform, and he will willingly assist us, let us repent of our provoca∣tions, and he will bring us out of this Calamity; may this our great work, be wisely and speedily accomplished, and by the Divine Assistance, and our weak endeavours faithfully performed, that the power of Religion may be advanced, the Name of God honoured, the fury of our Enemies sup∣pressed, the Hearts of Gospel-Friends comforted, and which is above all, and beyond all, Christ over Antichrist, in the purity of his Gospel among
us and our Posterity for e∣ver. Which God of his infi∣nite Mercy grant us, to whom be ascribed, as most due, all Honour, Power, and Glory, Adoration and Subjection, now, and for evermore.
BLessed, Lord, who a••t our Strength, Hope, and Fortress, our Castle, and Deliverer, our Defender in whom we trust; how the Heavens, O Lord, come down and save us, send down thine Hand from above, deli∣ver us, and take us from the great Waters, from those Miseries and Afflictions which come upon us, by reason of our Sins, and from the Con∣dition of Mortality, and from the hand of strange Children, whose right hand is a right hand of Wickedness.
Give us, O Lord, Victory and Peace, and all the Blessings belong∣ing to it, with which thou usest to adorn and bea••tifie the Dwellings of
the Righteous, that we may be happy in the continual descent of thy Fa∣vours; but above all, that our hap∣piness may consist in being thy People, and thou being our God, that we may be blessed for ever in so happy a Union, through Jesus Christ our Lord, and Saviour.
A Prayer for the preservation of our most gracious Sove∣raign Lord King William, in his Royal Undertaking to Subdue Ireland, and for his safe Return to England,
O Most mighty God, the great Cre∣atour of the World, and the Preserver of all Mankind; pre∣serve, we beseech thee, our most gra∣cious Soveraign Lord, King William, whom thou hast made the happy In∣strument of our mighty Deliverance:
Let thy Blessing accompany him in his Journey, and Voyage; protect him from all Dangers; visit him as thou didst Moses in the Bush, Joshua in the Battel, Gid••on in the Field, and Samuel in the Temple: Let the Dew of thy never failing Mer∣cies fall upon his Head, and give him the blessing of David and Solomon.
Be unto him an Helmet of Salvati∣on, and cover him with thy Grace, as with a Buckler against the Face of his Enemies; dissipate, and scat∣ter all those which shall oppose him, as the Dust before the Wind, and as the Clay in the Streets, direct him in all his Counsels, to the end, that being blessed with Success in this great De∣sign, he may employ all that great Power which thy Omnipotence shall ••ntrust him with, to the Honour of thy Holy Name, the establishment and Advancement of the True Religion, and to the Peace, and Happiness of thine, and his People, and the per∣fect Deliverance of our poor Di∣stressed
Brethren in Ireland, that they may rejoice together with us, and triumph in thy Praise.
Grant him in this Enterprize a good Event, that he may Return home with Joy and Victory: Let his Reign be prosperous, and his days many; let Peace, and Love, and Holiness, let Justice, and Truth, and all Christian Vertues, flourish in his Time: Let his People serve him with Honour and Obedience; and let him so duly serve thee here on Earth, that he may hereafter everlastingly Reign with thee in Heaven, through Jesus Christ, our Lord,