222
NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. vi. MAY 22, 1920:
MR. HILL 'ON A DAY OF THANKS-
GIVEING FOR Y E VICTORY AT
NASBY, JUNE 27, 1645.'
THE following sermon from- a small book of seventeenth-century MSS. that has just come into my possession may be of interest. These MSS. are contained in a leather bound volume of hand-made paper (size 6 in. by 4 in.), containing 172 pages closely written in very beautiful caligraphy, so clear as to be read without difficulty, and many notes in shorthand.
The writing has been commenced from both ends of the book. At one end are notes of sermons, written perhaps by the owner who is possibly a Puritan Divine ; and at the other end are (1) the sermon-notes now in question ; (2) a copy of a sermon by Mr. Worthington and (3) sixty-five pages dated in different parts from Nov. 22, 1645, to Feb. 7, 1646. It is indexed as by Mr. Culverwell (perhaps the Cambridge Pla- tonist).
Ox A DAY OF THANKSGIVING FOR Y E VICTORY AT NASBY.
23 Numbers 23 6
Surely there is noe enchantment against Jacob nor divination against Israel : according to this time it shall be said of Jacob What has god wrought ?
Israel was long in y e willdernes and there they committed willderness (sic) and they had glorious mercies and preservations if we survey y story whereof those words are a branch. There is such correspondency between god his dealings with y m and us y c we have cause to take up those words in y 8 text. Little did Balak and Balaam think y' Israel should have been blessed. He was acted (sic) by a propheticall rather y n a magicall spirit, and w" god blesses who can curse. Balak were (sic) at great charges and tried conclusions & at last he extorted these words " v. 20 " " I have received commandment to blesse, & he hath blessed & I cannot reverse it."
V. 21, God sees not perversenes in Israel, neither hath he beheld iniquity in Jacob : God sees it not so as to condemne y m for it eternally; but yet he will chastise y m . Or as the Septuagint reads y 8 words " He hath not beheld any sin in (that is against) Jacob.
Now y e enemy may despair of ever haveing his machinations prosper against Israel SURELY ETC. Whereupon he records this mercy, & upon such a visible demonstration of gods presence here is as it were a marble pillar erected to eternize y l memorialt of it, ACCORDING TO THIS TIME In hoc tempore, so the Jews. Secundum hoc tempus, so Calvin. Some of y* Jews restrain it to their goeing over Jordan, & to the falling downe of y 6 walls of Jericho : some draw it out farther to y 8 end of y e world : the meaning of it is this god did so appear for his people ,y' they had cause to cry out what has god wrought.
1. That all the machinations of y* devill and his angells (who combine against gods people) are to
noe purpose if god doe not prosper y m . The-
goverment (sic) is upon christ his shoulders, he
exercises a soveraignity over y e adversaries of his
church. He who is king of saintes is also LORD OP
LORDS. There is y e gouerment of his grace and:
of his power ; God has not only y 8 book of
Election for y salvation of his people, but a book
of providence for y e gouerning of y e world.
2. That sometimes god works so gloriously for his people that they had iust cause to cry out whato has god wrought ? Thus Moses (when god had done such great things for his people y' words were wanting to expresse y m cry's out : who is like unto thee, O Lord, among y* gods who's like thee ?.- etc. (Exodus 15, 11).
WHAT HAS GOD WROUGHT ?
1st. This is the language of a crier. Why doe you lye snorting in security, look about you & see what god has wrought ?
2. It may serve as a counsellor to mind y m of circumstances : why doe not y* awaken your selves and see y 6 hand of god. In a little mercy y* may spy out a great deal of providence.
3. It may be the language of one wrapt up in, admiration one y' sees such a train of providences y 8 he cannot but adore gods workings.
4. It may be the language of one triumphing with reioycing : whether here were all those dispositions or noe, yet doubtles god did work so- gloriously for his people y* they had cause to cry out what has god wrought ? Who could not but admire such a constellation of attributes as shewed, themselves in their deliverances.
That every soul may be raised to high thoughts & apprehensions of that god who has done so much for us (y' we have cause to say what has god wrought) consider three particulars.
1st. The glorious wisdome of god y* appears in- his workings.
This we may see in 3 things. 1. In regard of y* season of god his great workings. We quarrell against god because y* warrs are not ended, but god knows y* fittest season to work for his church, w n most of god may be seen and lesse of 2 d causes. T'was a speech of our general at Kintoa that he never saw more of god and less of man in any battell. Let us so cry out Tis the Lord his- doeing etc.
" I said I would scatter y m in corners and make y 8 remembrance of y m cease from among' men, were it not that I fear'd the wrath of y 8 enemy etc. (32 Deutronomie, 26, 27). Did not god his providence speak such languages at Lester, when our enemies cry'd out y' y e day were there owne ? At that time what an! un- worthy posture was we in, in what a disconted (sic) condition, our adversaries were high & insolent & that was a season for god to shew himself, & to make bare his arme in the delivering of his people. Learne so from hence that when, there seems to be the greatest unpreparednes in the people to receive a mercy, there may be readines and fitnes in the enemy to receive a judgment. 2. In regard of y 8 method. Before god exalts his people he brings them very low. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand, y 1 he - may exalt you in due time. (I Peter 5, 6). Godv is makeing his people when we think he 's mareing y m . God so methodizes things y' what we think are preparations for judgment, they are but
