* * *

19. _Upon the various events of the warre, victories, and defeats._

The various successes of this unhappy war, have at least, afforded me
variety of good meditations: sometimes God was pleased to try me with
victory, by worsting my enemies, that I might know how with moderation
and thanks to own, and use his power, who is the onely true Lord of
Hosts, able when he pleases to represse the confidence of those who
fought against mee with so great advantage for power and number.

From small beginnings on my part, hee let me see, that I was not
wholly for saken by my peoples love, or his protection.

Other times God was pleased to exercise my patience, and teach me not
to trust in the arm of Flesh, but in the living God.

My sins sometimes prevailed against the justice of my cause, and
those that were with me wanted not matter and occasion for his just
chastisement both of them and Mee: Nor were My Enemies lesse punished
by that prosperity which hardened them to continue that injustice by
open hostilitie, which was begun by most riotous and un-Parliamentary
Tumults.

There is no doubt but personall and private sins may oft-times
over-balance the Justice of publick Engagements; nor doth God account
every gallant man (in the worlds esteem) a fit instrument to assert in
the way of War a righteous Cause: The more men are prone to arrogate
to their own skill, valour, and strength, the lesse doth God
ordinarily work by them for his own glory.

I am sure the event or successe can never state the Justice of any
Cause, nor the peace of mens Consciences, nor the eternall fate of
their Souls.

Those with Me had (I think) clearly and undoubtedly, for their
justification, the Word of God, and the Lawes of the Land, together
with their own Oathes; all requiring obedience to my just Commands;
but to none other under Heaven without me, or against me in the point
of raising Arms.

Those on the other side are forced to flie to the shifts of some
pretended Fears, and wilde Fundamentals of State (as they call them)
which actually overthrow the present fabrick both of Church and State;
being such imaginary Reasons for self-defence as are most impertinent
for those men to alledge, who being my Subjects, were manifestly
the first assaulters of Me and the Laws: first, by unsuppressing the
Tumults, after by listed Forces: The same Allegations they use, will
fit any Faction that hath but power and confiden