will ruine the best Cause in the World This common and open Prophaneness does not only provoke God's Wrath against themselves but against their Governors if they only reprove and make Proclamations in detestation of them Old Eli did thus much to his debauch'd Sons but for want of a severer Discipline God punish'd him and his House for ever This Leven must be purged out and cashiered or else it will leven the whole Lump It is no surprize therefore to thinking men to hear of vast Fleets put to Sea with vast Expence and vaster Hopes yet without Success whilst men thus impudently and openly from the First Rate Ship to the Tender from Stem to Stern from the Captain to the Cook swear and curse like Devils and therefore most unfit to play the men for our People and the Cities of our God None therefore can be greater Enemies to Their Sacred Majesties and so good a Cause the best Cause in the World in this Juncture than these damning cursing cursed and swearing Libertines that cannot truly and faithfully honour their King if they fear not God For such I 'll pray though as we do over the Doors of them that have the Plague Lord have mercy upon these Wretches or in the words of Moses O that they were wise Deut. 32.29 30. that they understood this that they would consider their latter end How should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight If therefore a Souldier love his God his own Soul his King his own Honour and Welfare his People and the Cities of our God let him so live that he may not be afraid to dye and then his good Conscience will add to his Valour and make a man of good courage and able to play the man 3. A third cause of additional Valour is valiant Leaders by their couragious Words and Deeds 1. First by their Words adding Courage to their Souldiers by such brave Speeches as this in the Text. The first and bravest Emperor Julius Caesar was very happy both in Arts and Arms a good Oratour and a good Captain and was addicted to these Harangues to cheer up his Souldiers when ready to come to the Push as may be seen in his own Commentaries No man spoke better no man fought better both he and Joab in the Text had as all valiant men have a great presence of Mind had their Wits about them in the midst of Dangers they did almost what they list and could say what they lift tho' what they said was but little yet they spoke much in little being happy both for the Pen and the Pike 2. But the brave Deeds of a Commander is far more efficacious than brave Words a couragious Leader like the Sun-beams influences all that see him with Spirit and Heat and Life For as Cowardice is infectious a few Cowards if not timely knock'd down are enough to ruine a whole Camp so Courage also spreads it self and there 's none so timerous but will be ready to follow their Leader if a brave man at Arms. 4. A fourth cause of additional Valour is good Arms and good Armour Those will put Courage into a Coward and those daunt the bravest Enemy that fights unarm'd A Souldier may with as much reason flight all his Garrisons ruine the Bulwarks of his strongest Forts and cut down his Palasadoes as fight without his Armour The Prince of Poets the first in Time as well as Exoellence never sights his Champion Achilles till he has first buckled on him his Armour of Proof Nor does our * Sir Philip Sidney who was elected to be K. of Poland but refused English Homer so famous for but less happy in his Pike than his Pen yet as terrible to his Enemies abroad as amiable to his Friends at home that accepted the Lawrel but refused the Diadem in his English Arcadia ever sight his Knights to beat the Giants till he has first brought them the best Horses the best Arms and Armour that he could imagine nay he spares for no Costs to furnish them with And neglected by none but Braggadochios especially since the Invention of Gunpowder Is Valour any Fence against a Bullet That dismounts the Highest's Courage in its full Careir tho' shot by the most feeble Arm. The Wonders done by a late Hero in England Scotland and Ireland in a had Cause was truly attributed to his care of good Armour for that cause sirnamed Ironside If good Armour has done so great things in a bad Cause what Wonders may it not do in our Cause at this day the best Cause in the World In defence of our People and the Cities of our God from the Ravage of a merciless and bloody Foe the Common Enemy of Mankind the Turks and Mahomet only excepted This harden'd Enemy wonted to spoil cannot be oppos'd in humane probability by a Militia that has no other Armour than Feathers and Scarfs as if a muster of Men when three Kingdoms lye at stake and rais'd and maintain'd at a vast charge to their Country were nothing but a Morris-dance that their Women out of their Windows might admire in the Street the goodly menage of the gay Puppit that belongs to their House No other reason can be given why at this day the Militia-Captains clude and frustrate the Statute that commands Back Breast and Pot for the Horse and Corslet for the Pikes now chang'd forsooth into a Leather Jacquet nick-nam'd a Buff Coat and into a Red Coat and Byonet Or is it because some Feather-bed Captains sell such Ware Oh! but Armour is wearisome and heavy Yes so also is the whole Duty of a Souldier but it is the Occupation he has undertaken and by which he gets his Livelihood and Can a Workman work without Tools Or is he asham'd like other Workmen to carry them on his Back Let a Souldier be asham'd of being beaten of being a Captive or running away but let him never be asham'd of the Tools of the Trade by which alone he stands fair for the Victory But say some This Armour speaks Fear and Timerousness Does it so Then be it so Fear that makes a Centinel or a Guard more watchful is a due Ingredient of true Valour Was there ever any wise or successful Generals but fortified their Camp When the Spade and the Pickax are the Souldier's Armour yet this is really fear of Surprizal but not Cowardice but the greatest Wisdom The great Alexander Caesar Pompey and generally the Grecians and Romans were no Cowards for they conquer'd the greatest part of the known World yet they never engag'd but in bright-shining Armour especially their Horse except some light-armed Horsemen with us called Dragoons that are not intended to abide the shock but in a Battel to be here and there and every where as occasion serves being Mars's Hermaphrodites neither right Horse nor right Foot yet both these and of extream use and behoof in a Camp A Souldier may as well dismantle
thy Sword nor with thy Bow 3. Thirdly It seemeth good to the Lord sometimes visibly to fight for his People without any human means at all and that by Emissaries sent from Heaven I had almostsaid from Hell too Thus a good Angel an Emissary from Heaven was sent at the Prayer of that good King Hezekiah who kill'd in one night in the Camp of Sennacherib King of Assyria Isa 37 36. 185000 men And thus they fought from Heaven the Stars in their courses fought against Silera Judg 5.20 defeated by a Woman the valiant Deborah and her Captain Baruk Thus they fought from Heaven the Stars in their courses the Winds and the Waves fought against the Spanish Armado stiled Invincible in 88 In memory whereof I have seen much of Queen Elizabeths Coin with her Effigies and the Effigies of a Drake defeated by a Woman the Valiant Queen Elizabeth and her Captain Drake Thus they fought from Heaven the Stars in their courses the Winds and the Waves brought our Deliverer's Navy in 88 three years ago to their desired Port Nothing but the Finger of Him that commands the Winds and the Waves could have done this to him be the Glory not with thy Sword alone tho' a brave Sword nor with thy Bow Nay sometimes Almighty God sends Emissaries from Hell to vex and plague the Enemies of his People Thus the Psalmist tells us Psal 78.49 that when God delivered his People from that Tyrant Pharaoh and Aegyptian Bondage He sent evil Angels amongst them And thus a lying Spirit and therefore a Devil made King Ahab fall at Ramoth-Gilead 1 Kin. 22.22 when God sent him on an Errand improper for a good Angel and Emissary from Heaven An Angel thus made a few silly Worms pull down the Pride of that Atheistical King Agrippa and eat him up alive And a silly Fly killed our Countryman Pope Adrian IV the only English-man that ever was Pope The Hand of God guided the Randome-Arrow to the Heart of that Idolatrous King Ahab 1 Kings 22.34 through the Joints of his Harness where only it was penetrable 4. Lastly God fights for his People sometimes with weak human means Thus Israel must be delivered in Gideon's time not with his whole Army for then God's Arm could not have been so visible amongst so many strong men at Arms but by the men that lapped as a Dog lappeth probably the weakest and sickliest in the Camp From this Topick the good and valiant King and therefore valiant because the good King Hezekiah cheer'd up his drooping Souldiers 2 Chron. 32.7 8. Be strong and couragious be not dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for the multitude that is with him with him is an Arm of Flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and fight our Battels But how long will God fight our Battels The Prophet Azariah answers this Quaere in good King Asa's time 1 Chr. 15.2 The Lord is with you whilst you are with him but if you forsake him he will forsake you Many a good Cause is spoil'd by ill management and many a good Army by ill Discipline England has a potent Enemy but yet a Cause so good that we may say of our King as Abigail said to King David My Lord fighteth the Battels of the LORD GOD grant that this good King and this good Cause do not miscarry by a debauched Army and Navy Can we expect that God should fight for or with these men that fight against him and bid him Defiance cursing themselves and their God We may assure our selves that those that wage War against the King of Heaven will never fight successfully for Their Sacred Majesties He that is not truly virtuous may do perhaps some flashy Feats in Vapour or for Company or for Shame or for Fear or for Despair but he can never be true to his Post nor truly valourous Where there 's no Grace no Goodness no Sobriety nor any Vertue God is not there Valour is not there nor Faith nor Faithfulness there A man's Courage and Loyalty must needs be as frail and precarious as his Conscience and Religion and if he does not fell his Loyalty as he bought his Place and fell his King and his Faith too it is because the Judas wants a Chapman But in these days 't is possible to find a Chapman too that will be as free to part with his Purse as any Wretch can be to part with his Faith and Allegiance Purge out therefore our Sins for thy Names sake Psal 79.9 saith holy David when he prayed to God for Victory If our Armies and Navies be not soundly and throughly purged from open Prophaneness and Cursing Swearing Damning and Debauchery and from fighting against Heaven by sinning with an high Hand and an impudent Forehead they will never prove Men of good Courage never play the men in defence of Their Sacred Majesties nor in defence of our People and the Cities of our God FINIS Advertisement The Works of the Learned Or an Historical Account and Impartial Judgment of Books newly printed both Foreign and Domestick As also the state of Learning in the World To be published Monthly this for January 1691 2. By J. de la Crose a late Author of the Universal and Historical Bibliotheque Printed for J. Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry
THE Good Old Cause OR THE Divine CAPTAIN Characteriz'd IN A SERMON Not Preach'd nor needful to be Preach'd in any place so properly as in a CAMP Upon II Sam. x. 12. Be of good Courage and let us play the men for our People and the Cities of our God and the Lord do what seemeth him good By ED M. HICKERINGILL Rector of the Rectory of All-saints in Colchester Licens'd according to Order Feb. 1. 1691 2. London Printed for John Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry 1692. To the HONOURABLE the Lord Colchester THE Noble Captain of Their Majesties Life-Guard c. May it please Your Lordship IN this following Text of all other Verses in the Bible is found the fairest Character of a Valiant Captain with a divine Mind a brave Courage in a Heavenly Soul a great and a good Heart a most auspicious Conjunction of Vertue and Valour If Vertue and Valour be not one and the same thing yet they are so near of Kin that the Latins have but one word to express both at least they are reciprocal No man is truly virtuous that is not truly valorous no man is truly valorous that is not truly virtuous For which cause Fortitude or Valour is accounted one of the four Cardinal Virtues To promote Virtue and consequently Valour in our Armies and Navies whereof these Three Kingdoms never had more need I have with an humble Heart lent my helping Hand from the Press to whom it could not be very audible from my low Pulpit And the Guard of His Majesty's Sacred Person the Darling of Heaven as well as of Mankind being more peculiarly your Honourable Province in this his so famous and necessary Expedition invites as well as encourages me to the dedication of this Sermon to Your Lordship which I may without Ostentation say is so useful to all Men against the Fears of Death the King of Terrours but especially in this juncture seasonable and suitable for the Souldiery if they will find time to read it and upon such a Text as perhaps was never handled before in this method by any man except by My Lord Your Lordships most devoted Servant E. Hickeringill THE Good Old Cause OR THE Divine Captain Characteriz'd II SAM X. 12. Be of good Courage and let us play the Men for our People and the Cities of our GOD and the Lord do what seemeth him good GEnerals of Armies have usually in all Ages amongst all Nations made a Speech to encourage their Souldiers when drawn up in Battel-aray and ready to engage Such a Speech is this Text made by Joab King David's General when his Army stood in battalia ready to fight the Enemy that had beset them Front and Reer the Syrians in the Front and the Ammonites in the Reer no way left to run away they must either fight or dye nay fight that they may not be killed In this desperate state the General faces his Army to the Front and Reer the Front he leads himself against the Syrians the other half of his Army his Brother Abishai led against the Ammonites In this posture the Army was drawn up in the face of their Enemies when the valiant Joab made a Speech addressing himself particularly to his valiant Brother Abishai saying If the Syrians be too strong for me then thou shalt help me but if the Children of Ammon be too strong for thee then I will help thee Be of good Courage and let us play the men for our People and the Cities of our God and the Lord do what seemeth him good In my opinion this is the most pithy and succinct as well as the most divine Speech of a noble General that ever I met with In the former part he speaks like a good Souldier like a brave man in the latter part like a Divine like a good man For Joab did not buy his Place nor make Friends at Court to intercede nor claimed Kindred to the Blood Royal and yet he might for the King was his Cousin-Germain but he won the place by his Sword For King David had pass'd his royal Word that he that first smote the Jebusites 1 Chron. 11.6 1 Chron. 11.20 21. he should be Chief and Captain Joab did it and his Lieutenant-General got his Place by his Valour too he lift up his Sword against 300 and slew them and had the first name amongst the second Ternary of David's Worthies Valour is twofold Active and Passive Active Valour consists in doing hardy things like a stout and great man Passive Valour consists in suffering and enduring hardship couragiously like a pious and good man These two sorts of Valour divide the Text into 2 parts Active Valour in these words Be of good courage and let us play the men for our People and the Cities of our God Passive Valour in these words Let the Lord do what seemeth him good or as the Chaldee Paraphrase none of the worst Versions Let the Lord do whatsoever he has predestinated or fore-ordained As if he should say Shall not He that made us and brought us into the World have Leave to continue us or take us out of the World according to his own not our good pleasure Let what will come all shall be welcome Life or Death Liberty or Captivity Soundness or Loss of Limbs Victory or Defeat even as best pleases Almighty God not my will but his be done let the Lord do what seemeth him good Active Valour is made up of three Ingredients viz. 1. A good Courage 2. A good Conduct 3. A good Cause These three Ingredients of Active Valour divide the first general part of the Text into three particulars 1. A good Courage in this Exhortation to it Be of good Courage 2. A good Conduct Let us play the men Some are fierce and stout as Lions and yet may have but a brutish Valour and be fool hardy except their Courage be managed with a rational and discreet Conduct and thereby play the men Though I confess in this Criticism I follow the English Translation which comes nearest to the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. but the Chalder Paraphrase and Syriack Interpreter authorizes no such nice distinction invalesce invalescamus for the Syriack and Chaldee Paraphrase have but one word to signifie both a good Courage and a good Conduct The former is the proper act of the Hand and Heart The latter is the proper act of the Head and Heart Solomon says A wise man is strong Prov. 24 5. i. e. though his Hand be weak yet a good Headpiece makes him strong and able to play the man 3. Thirdly A good Cause is the causa sine quâ non the sole Ingredient necessary to qualifie and sanctifie all fighting without a good Cause all killing is Murther nothing but a good Cause can hallow our Swords The good Cause in the Text is The Good Old Cause namely in defence of our People and the Cities of our God As if
silly Heads 't is none of your Province but belongs to God alone therefore cast away Care 1 Pet. 5.7 and cast all your Care upon God for he careth for you I cannot but pitty those poor Hearts that make their Lives a Burthen to themselves and all that are hear them being overcharged with Cares and Fears of what shall come to pass For my part I care not what comes to pass I 'll prevent with my Might and Courage what we call Evils but when all I can do will not do whatever comes is welcome With what a Courage did St. Paul embrace his Fate How carelesly he descants on his death as if unconcerned Death that is the King of Terrours and makes them all their life-time subject to Bondage Cares and Fears was but St. Paul's Rejoycing and Entertainment yet the Sentence of Death the Sentence to be beheaded was past upon him by that bloody Nero and shortly to be executed 2 Tim. 4.6 then he writes his Second Epistle to Timothy and talks so unconcern'd we cannot but joy in him and with him as if he was only to undertake a pleasant Journey I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand The time the hour he had long wish'd for having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better A desire to depart the Original signifies an earnest longing of Soul as if nothing could satisfie but to have his longing namely Death which I say is called The King of Terrours the chiefest of Terrours but Death is so to none but to Knaves and Fools I mean to impenitent People and silly ignorant People To dye What 's that It is as natural to dye as to be born it is more necessary to dye than to be born it is for ought we know less Pain to dye than to be born Why do we fear Death then that is so natural so necessary so beneficial there the Wicked cease from troubling and there the Weary be at rest There no Tyrant can hurt us no Grief assault us no Pain nor Anguish for our selves or others can torment us there all Tears shall be wiped away from our Eyes And do we sear then to dye Obj. No say some we do not so much fear to dye nor cry Lothe to depart for any Sweets of Life which at the best are but bitter Sweets but we fear the Consequences of Death and Judgment Ans Do you so But I 'll give you an easie and infallible Receipt and Remedy against these fearful Consequences after Death that which makes a Snake or a Serpent terrible that alone makes Death terrible namely the Sting take away the Sting from these and you safely and without fear or danger hug them in your Bosoms Now the Apostle tells us The Sting of Death is Sin take away that and Death is stingless and harmless Sin shall never be imputed to any that are not Volunteers to Sin A man is not a Rebel to his Prince nor any Guilt imputed to him tho' he be in the Enemy's Quarters if he be taken Captive thither and strive to his utmost to make his escape So neither shall any man be accounted a Rebel to Heaven that 's carried Captive thro' Weakness and Infirmity to any Sin and strives to escape hating all Sin with a perfect Hatred and resisting it as his Enemy to his utmost To such a one the Lord imputeth not Sin Sin is in him but he does not live in Sin lye in Sin delight in Sin wallow in Sin But what a vast difference is there betwixt him that is overtaken in a fault and he that is a Volunteer to Sin and follows it with all his might to overtake it If to such a one Death be the King of Terrours I cannot blame his Fears but Who can pity him that takes no pity on himself that loves a Lust above his God above his Soul and above his Peace here and hereafter when he may so easily disarm the King of Terrours taking away his Venome and Sting To conclude this point By what has been briefly said you may easily know to get an Antidote against Death and Losses and Crosses whatsoever and consequently be arm'd against Cowardise and all unmanly and unchristian Fears even in the greatest Streights tho' beset as Joab and Abishai in the Text with a numerous Enemy in Front and Reer Our part then is to be of good Courage with a good Conscience and in a good Cause and let the event be Life or Death Victory or Defeat Let the Lord do what seemeth him good To dye thus in Battel for our People and the Cities of our God Where is that Dastard that is afraid thus to dye rather than survive a few weary days living or rather dying daily with the Pangs of the Gout the Dropsy the Consumption Stone or the like Not but that God's Will be done if this grievous Lot must be our Lot to endure a Thousand irksome Deaths painful and grievous to our selves and loathsome and troublesome both to our selves and by-standing Friends but we cannot help it if we must be condemn'd to endure the Fatigues of Life to the last dringling Sand we may not break the Glass but if a Bullet break it and in a good Cause the Glass is well run out and the most made of it that it can possibly be worth What! Do we fear to go to God and Heaven our certain Portion if we dye with the said good Conscience the said good Courage and in the said good Cause in defence of our People and the Cities of our God The very Heathen that had but the Light of Nature pro aris focis were ambitious to dye for their Altars and Fire-sides For this Good Cause to be kill'd in Battel is to dye in Peace like good King Josiah who is said to be gathered to his Fathers in Peace and yet he died in the Field in the FIght with his Sword in his Hand So that well may such a Divine Souldier with good old Simeon Swan like sing his Nunc dimitis tho' he dye like the great King Gustavus Adolphus in the Field Death may take such a man Death cannot hurt such a man by cutting off a few weary minutes for his Account is fairly cast up like Joab's in the Text if he lives he lives in Victory and Triumph and lives to God and if he dies he dies in Honour and dies in Peace and lives with God Can Life or Death be put out at better Interest Can more be made of it Well may such a Divine Souldier and Champion for Heaven say with St. Paul after he had fought with Beasts at Ephesus and more brutish men I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course 2 Tim. 4.7 I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness I have been extreamly cheer'd in the greatest Difficulties my little Experience did ever
General Joab had said Let us play the men for our Countrymen whether they be good or bad people they have Lives and Estates and Liberties in the defence whereof our Swords are drawn they have also religious Liberties in the true Service and Worship of God in the Cities of our God in defence of which good Cause too we must play the men For all the Cities of the World as inhabited by God's Creatures might as well be called the Cities of our God as well as the Cities of Israel if the true Religion and Worship of God in those Cities be not meant by this Phrase The Cities of our God Thus St. Augustine stiles his Books concerning the Church of God as Joab in the Text de civitate Dei Obj. But some may say That this War when Joab made this Speech was not a defensive but offensive War an invasion of the Country of the Ammonites and the Battel was fought at the Gate of one of the Cities of the Children of Ammon ver 8. Ans I answer That notwithstanding this Invasion this War was purely defensive For the Ammonites had abus'd King David's Ambassadors which were sent in kindness to condole the death of Hyram their late King which was in effect the abuse of the King that sent them And this abuse of Ambassadors has always by the Law of Nations been reckoned a just Cause of War For this cause alone the Romans waged War with the Corinthians the Tarentines and Illyrians and this was once the cause of War betwixt the Emperor of Germany and the Port. And the Ammonites here did resolve upon a War and to that purpose hired Souldiers of Fortune the Syrians for Money to fight for them against the Israelites whereupon K. David like a wise General since fight they must he would not be behind-hand with his Preparations nor stay till the Ammonites should come into his Country and make Israel the Seat of War but by wise Conduct meets the coming Storm and in defence of his People and the Cities of his God carries the War to the Enemies Cities where our valiant General exhorts his valiant Brother to be of good courage c. The first Ingredient of true active Valour is a good courage which is threefold supernatural natural additional 1. First Courage supernatural which appears when God makes men more than men by infusing his Spirit of Courage nor was there ever a great Conqueror but he alwaies had this Spirit of God which has been given both to good and bad men Christians and Heathens This was so visible even to the Heathens that they all built Temples to Fortune which we call Providence Nemo vir magnus sine afflatu divino such was Alexander and Scypio Caesar Pompey Marius c. And the Heathen Historian observes that an Athenian General Themistocles as I remember never won a Battel after he had braggingly told his Countrymen after a great Victory This I did and in this Fortune had no power The Souldiers of the famous Marius thought he spoke in the fight with more than human voice when he fought and conquer'd that Inundation of Men the Amnons and the Cymbers that came to swallow up his Country When Gideon was to be a Jesus a Saviour to Israel 't is said The spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon Judg. 6.34 the same Spirit sometimes called Faith or good Confidence made Baruch and Sampson Jeptha David and Samuel Heb. 11.32 33. to play the men above common men who through Faith subdued Kingdoms As for instance in David Tho' in prudent and wise conduct he could not have encountered Goliah with any weapon better that a sling and a stone to enter that forehead where alone the Giant was unarm'd and little expected such an Encounter yet it was a bold Faith and Trust in the Name of the Lord that made his Heart strong and his Hand steddy And it was usual in those days with a Sling and a Stone before the use of Guns to hit at an Hairs breadth so dexterous I had almost said were those left-handed Benjaminites Judg. 20.16 Judg. xx For how big soever the Giant was David was neither longer-liv'd than we nor bigger nor stronger if so strong as we are but the Spirit of God put into him a supernatural and superlative courage to play the man for his people and the Citys of his God 2. Secondly Good Courage is natural the Bounty of Nature for which a man is indebted as Goliah was to the firmness of his Limbs the goodness of his Complexion and his happy Stars to make him martial strong and of good courage such were these two Sons of Zerviah in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the Septuagint whom David confesses to be his overmatch and too hard for him For to his Brother Abishai this Speech is made tho' our English Translation only says He said but the Septuagint adds He said to Abishai Such men as are of a faint and timerous Complexion naturally have got a Caveat enter'd by Nature in their Bosoms against being listed for Souldiers Such men may be useful for the Plow or to wrap themselves in a Gown and serve well in the Pulpit or to make a noise at the Bar but the thundering of Guns and Drums will give them an Ague and put them into a Fit of trembling It is tempting of God and bidding Defiance to his Handmaid Nature for such effeminate Constitutions of all Employments to turn Souldiers let them leave the rugged and boysterous Wars to rugged and rocky Complexions and Constitutions Some men have stiled a Souldier a necessary Evil but I think under Heaven a good Souldier is one of the most necessary good things For as the World goes we should lose all other good things if it were not for those brave Souls that play the men in defence of the innocent Infants the weaker Sex and weaker Men still they are our People and a brave Souldier is their Rampart their Bulwark their Life guard the only Safeguard under God of our People and the Cities of our God Without these Protectors the Pulpit would be a Cypher an empty place the Bar unfrequented and our Lives and Estates at the mercy of a merciless Tyrant But there are but few of these Worthies Souldiers of Natures making yet a few of them are enow to put Courage into Cowards which is done by 3. Thirdly Additional Valour which has many causes as First a good Cause it will make a Coward fight to think that he fights for God for his People and for the Cities of our God as we usually and truly say That one honest man will beat two Thieves because the guilty Conscience makes a great Thief a great Coward and his Villany and Roguery makes him a timerous Villain and a fearful Rogue whilst he that fights in a good Cause fights for God and God fights for him This made little David boast so triumphantly Psal 17.3
Tho' an Host of men encamp against me my Heart shall not fear Saith he They compassed me about like Bees Psal 118. but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them Yet there are three sorts of Fighters at this day that play the men in a bad Cause which I cannot dismiss without a severe Repremand from this Text as 1. First Souldiers of Fortune such as was these 33000 Syrians that ran away and fled before Joab v. 13. they were Hackney-souldiers hired as Hackney-horses for such a Journey such an Expedition Here 's your Money These Souldiers of Fortune that fight without examining the cause and march with the first Chapman are the basest of Butchers for other Butchers get a greasie living by killing Beasts but Souldiers of Fortune live by killing men and are meer Cannibals and Men-eaters who like the Bravo's in Spain and Portugal have no other Trade or Profession but Hackney Butchers of Men any Men without any other cause than that of the Switzers they kill any body for the l'Argent What will ye give me saith Judas and I will betray and be guilty of Innocent Blood What will ye give me a day and I will kill ravish burn and murder saith the Souldier of Fortune And all this without any remorse custom of Sin hardens his callous Heart and makes him pittiless and without any Bowels of Humanity as if he had a Commission from Heaven as Peter had in another case Arise Peter kill and eat Of these St. James speaks from whence come Wars and sighting among you meaning the Factions of Judas Galiloeus Jam. 4 1 2. and also the other Jews then in war against the Samaritans and fought bloodily for the Money-business come they not hence even from your Lusts of Avarice and Ambition ye fight and war ye kill and desire to have that ye may consume it upon your Lusts For a Souldier of Fortune usually consumes in Debauchery what he gets by this inhuman Butchery Thus this Devil incarnate like his Father the Devil goes about like a roaring Lion from Country to Country seeking whom he may devour A Prince that has a good Cause may notwithstanding make use of these Man-slayers or Slaughter-men as Clyents sometimes see their Advocates not so much to be for them as that they be not hired against them though these Fellows are seldome either faithful or truly valiant for he that will sell his Soul or his Life for Money will not fear for Money to betray and sell his Prince But since they are kept like Cocks of the Game that are good for nothing in Nature but to fight these Forlorns will serve for a Forlorn and to blunt the Enemy's Swords for if they will not fight they are good for nothing but like the Locusts of Aegypt to eat up every green thing If these be Cowards they must be punisht as all Cowards are in a well-disciplin'd Army with present Death For plow they cannot work they will not fight they dare not for they are alwaies unsit to dye and therefore must be afraid to dye This Locust like other Locusts is one of the Plagues of Mankind good for nothing whilst it lives but Mischiefs and therefore though unfit to dye yet unfit to live These are the men that nourish and foment Wars in Europe War is their Trade their Commodity and can you blame them if they make the utmost penny they can of their Trade and Profession But as bad as this Caterpillar is I have another in the 2. Second place to expose that always fights in a bad Cause and therefore is worse if worse can be than a Souldier of Fortune for this Man-slayer fights as seldom as is possible since he does not love fighting but as lazy men love Work they must starve without it he fights to eat and if he could eat without fighting it would be the camest Brute alive But in the next place I must shew you a Hector that loves fighting and killing in a bad Cause as he loves his Life nay more than his Life or his Salvation I mean the Duelist that thinks himself a tall fellow if he has killed his Man though thereby guilty of a double Murther 1st of his Adversary 2dly of himself So unhappy is this Man of Blood if he dies in his Blood and breathes Revenge to his last Breath then it is a fearful thing to think of his fatal Doom and if he kills his Adversary 't is Odds but he is hang'd especially if all King's have such a Conscience as K. Charles I. that never would pardon a Murtherer saying The Almighty God has enacted that He that sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood beâ—shed And who am I that should pretend a Prerogative to dispense with the Laws of the King of Kings Obj. But may some say would you have a Gentleman whose Honour is dearer to him than his Life put up an Affront especially since the neglect of demanding Satisfaction that 's the word is not interpreted Conscience but Cowardice and invites a second Affront and happy the Coward that can but come near so tame a thing that he may safely kick it Ans To which I answer That I knew not which is better Death or Life they are indifferent things and only good or bad as they are circumstantiated a man of Honour will either live in Honour or dye in Honour But by Honour I mean not that Puff or Blast or Vapour which has no affinity with Reason Honesty and a good Conscience a truly valiant man is a truly virtuous man and a truly honourable man a truly honest man but he can neither be a good man nor a brave man that is not a rational man Now I am content to give my man of Honour a Dispensation to answer any Challenge so that he retain his Reason and his Honesty But 1st Is it reasonable and equal that a Gentleman of a vigorous Health and a plentiful Estate for his Heirs and Heirs for his Estate should venture his Life against a Beggarly Hector that perhaps is weary of his Life thro' Poverty and Diseases the loathsom consequences of his Lust and would be beholden to that charitable Hand that would cut the rotten Thread of his Life rather than suffer it miserably and gradually to rot in pieces But 2dly What answers all other Challenges a Duel can never be fought with Honesty because it is point-blank a Defiance and Breach of the Laws of God and the King And therefore let no man pretend to any point of Honour that is inconsistent with his Allegiance to God and the King the only Fountain and Measure of Honour And if Hotspur dislike this my Decision as too sage and cold yet in his softer minutes he will thank me as fiery David did his Cooler Abigail when he was upon the Road in all haste to kill Nabal that Churl saying to her 1 Sam. 25.32 33. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which