But what has a Sermon to do to enquire, may some say, and if it had, how shall it make appear whether God is displeased with our designs or the Persons employed, with the cause or the Carryers of it on.
As to the cause, all men are Judges of the Justice of it, and all men know the Foot of the present Confederacy, at least our part must be Just as it is to Maintain our just Rights, Liberty, Trade and Religion.
It must then be the Persons, the R——s, the Sir G——s, G——ns, the R——ks of this War; that Heaven is resolv'd shall not be the men, whom he will honour with the Deliverance of his People.
All wise Princes in the World have made it a constant Maxim in their Governments, that when any of their great Generals prove Unfortunate, tho' never so Wise, they lay them by, as Persons that God does not think fit to bless with success, and 'tis not needful to examine whether it were not their fault, but to be Unfortunate is to be told from Heaven, that such a one is not the Man, and a Nation ought to understand it so.
But sure when Heaven Singles men out by Crossing their attempts and Marks them for unfortunate, and we can give our selves good reasons why they are thus Mark'd by the Divine displeasure; when we can see their false steps, their General designs against God and their Countries Intrests, 'tis high time then for those who sit at the Helm of Government, to Change hands and put their affaires into such Persons Conduct, against whom Heaven has not declar'd so plainly its Displeasure, nor the Nation its Dislike.
Why shou'd the Queen be desir'd to Chain down her own Happiness and the Nations Interest, to the Missfortune of a few Men. Perhaps God may Bless the Fleet under one Admiral, when he will not under another. I know nothing against Admiral Callemburgh, he may be an Honest and worthy-man, and ready enough to Fight for the cause, for indeed most of the Dutch Captains of Ships are so, but since Heaven has now 'twice refus'd to let him go, and driven him back again, if I were the Governour of his Masters affairs, he should not be sent a Third time, least we should seem obstinately to Employ somebody that God himself had declar'd against and had three times from Heaven forbid to go.
I hope no Body will Construe this to be a Personal Satyr upon Myn Heer Callemburgh, But take it among ye, let it go, where it Fitts best.
If these are not the Generation of Men that must do the Nations business, then 'tis plain our Deliverance will never be wrought while they are employ'd; If God will not bless them he will never bless us till they are dismist.
I doubt not we shall be deliver'd, and this Nation shall yet Triumph over her Enemies; but while wrong Instruments are Employ'd the Work will be delay'd. God would have a House built him But David was not the Man and therefore the Work was put off till Solomon was in the Throne.
God would have Israel go into the Land of Canaan and possess it, but those Generals and those Captains were not the Men; Moses and Aaron, and the great Men of the Camp were not such as God approv'd off and therefore Israel could not go over Joardan till they had laid their Bones in the Wilderness.