and quarrell and out-face heaven and earth by his sinnes he is fitter to be a souldier saith the Matchiavillist then he that will say surely and truely and so forth because such a one is a meer Puritan and so weak and faint-hearted that the enemy doth not fear him To come then to the answer of the point there is nothing more impious then the Position and nothing falser then the reason For the first is there any thing more impious then to prefer Paganism to Piety If this had been good in vain had Iohn perswaded the doubtfull Souldiers to take a holy course Likewise the reason that true Religion maketh men cowards it is against all reason against the nature of true magnanimity the power of Religion and the experience of time Standeth it with reason that hee that hath the strongest on his side should haue the least courage True magnanimity makes a man couragious to undertake the good and hate and abhor the evill as a base thing unworthy of such a spirit Who but the religious doe so The power of religiō Also the power of religion doth tie a man that hath it to his God assuring him if he loose this life he shall haue a better The souldier thus perswaded in his conscience and bearing Arms for a good cause as for the glory of God the defence of Religion the good of his Countrey and credit of his Prince will not loue his life unto death in the doing of his service Caesar tells us that the ancient Gaules were a generous and warlike people wherof he giues this ground that they resolutely beleeved the immortality of the soule Haue not all the true Worthies of the world bin religious ones Who more truly magnanimious Who more valorous victorious then David yet a man for zeal piety according to Gods own heart Who more couragious then holy Constantine who vanquished Licinius bringing peace to the Gospell and establishing the Gospel of peace What glorious victories had godly Theodosius who was Gods gift to the Church indeed against the Barbarians and other enemies of the Empire I could bring many other instances but these will suffice The wicked errant Cowards And as none more worthy then such so none more unworthy then irreligious Athiests the openly prophane or rotten hypocrite Was there ever a greater coward then Gajus Caligula Sueton. in Calig ca. 51 Dion in Calig who would hide his head at the Thunder And marching one time on foot through a streight with his Army was put in mind by one if the enemy should charge them what fear they might be in like a cowardly Atheist he mounts himselfe in an instant and fled with all his might though no man pursued him Let the word a witnesse beyond all exception determine this question The sinners in Syon are afraid fearfulnesse hath surprized the hypocrites Esa 33.14 For how can that man stand who is pursued by God and an ill conscience Other instances I might giue of great Tyrants yet starke Cowards but I can giue but a touch onely let me commend to you an instance of this kind worth your observation As the Kings of Iudah were holy and religious so they were valorous and victorious they were as God promised they should be the head and not the tayle but on the contrary as they were impious and idolatrous so they became degenerous and cowardly and so they became as God threatned the taile and not the head And as it is with Commanders so it is with souldiers The vertue of a souldier Xiphil apud Dion in Marc Anto. remarkeable and miraculous was that blessing that God gaue to Marcus Anthonius the Philosopher and his Army and that by means of the Christian companies that warred under him in his war against the Marcomans and Quadians He and his whole Army were inclosed in a dry country having no means to come by water but through a streight passage which the enemy kept and were like to be lost without one strok the Emperours Generall in this distresse told him that he had a Legion of Christians in his Army which could obtain any thing of their God that they prayed for the Emperour hereupon thought himselfe not too good to intreat them this office which they willingly and heartily performed in the name of Christ God as hee is ready to hear answered their desires with lightning upon their enemies and plenty of rain upon themselus which they kept in their Targets and Head-peeces and drunk Whereupon such fear fell upon their enemies that through terrour they were vanquished without stroke wherefore the Emperour called them The Thundering Legion and honoured them ever after and all Christians for their sakes But some will object object doe we not see and reade that men monstrously wicked haue behaved themselues to death so valorously in the field that their names haue no mean place in the book of valour I answer answ ambition may provoke a man to buy a bed of earthly honour vvith his dearest bloud or unadvisedly he may adventure not counting what it may cost him but if he should compare this life with eternall death attending after it upon all those that are not in Christ he durst not for a world be so prodigall of this life except he knew of a better yea he would quake and tremble at the verie thought of death Then to conclude this point as Ioshu◠had a resolution that he and his house would serue the Lord and as David would haue the faithfull to serue him so let those that will be Gods warriours be good warriours For as the evill carriage of Souldiers both Popish and Protestant haue laid Christian Kingdoms open to the Turkes tyrannie so we must confesse to our shame that our unworthy walking and walking after the flesh betrayes our good cause into the hand of the man of sin whose souldiours doe not prevaile because their carriage is better then their cause for both are starke naught but hee cannot endure that in his own Numb 2.31 which for a time he will in his enemies The Midianites that caused the Israelites to sin vvere vvorse then the Israelites but God first corrected his own people and then vexed the Midianites Last of all object 2 If any say that this my frame of a Souldier is like Sir Thomas Moore his Vtopia or Tully his Orator shewing rather what should be then what possible can be I answer it is true answ if we respect the perfection of the thing but it doth not follow that we should not labour for perfection No phisicall rules can be laid down nor receipts given to reduce the body to a perfect latitude of health yet still the Phisitians prescribe and study On all hands Valeat quātum valere potest Aut tales inveniant aut faciant Let bee done what can be done And first let one labour to be such and if they cannot finde such let them striue to make
his worship and that he should not be the appointer of it Hence it is that not onely the Hebrews but also all Greeks and Barbarians did rest from work on the seventh day witness Iosephus Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius lastly it afronteth Christs institution included in the very name of the day Why is it called the Lords day Rev. 1.10 1 Cor. 16.2 is it not because it was appointed by the Lord and to continue for the Lord as the Sacrament for the same reasons is called the Supper of the Lord. To make an end of the point let the Magistrates of London and other parts who haue kept back their authority from sanctifying of the Sabboth look to the end fire is broke out already but I fear if we will not â—earken to hallow the Sabboth of the Lord that the fire spoken of by Ieremy shall break forth in our Gares and not bee quenched till it haue devoured us I might say much in this point both by reason of the commonnesse of the sin and plenty of matter against it but I will onely say this Where there is no conscience of keeping of the Sabboth sincerely they haue no ground to expect any good As for Stage-plaies they are the devils chaire the seate of Scorners the plague of piety and the very pox to the Common-wealth but I haue a whole Treatise against them And as for the other sins mentioned it is counted but Puritanism to count them sins but so much the worse As our Nation is a field of crying sins so the cry of some sinns must not be discovered but countenanced in a searfull manner who knows but the things which we count trifles may be the speciall matter of our controversie with God A little other fire then God had ordained might seem a small matter in the eyes of indifferency yet it was such a sinne as made all Israel guilty as appeareth by the sacrifices offered for that sinne Levit. chap. 16 yea it brought such a fire from the presence of the Lord as could hardly be quenched These sinnes therefore must be taken by the poll and others of the like nature as contempt of the Word and hatred of Gods people and they must be beaten to powder with the Israelites Calfe Goe from a Tribe to a Family from a Family to a house and so to every man of the house till the golden wedge be found out We must not trust our wicked hearts with this work for corrupt nature is blind as a beetle in the finding out of sinne witnesse the Israelites even then when all the plagues of God were comming upon them they sayd What is our iniquity or sinne against God Ier. 16.10 Princes and people had need of good Seers whom they must suffer to shew them their sinne that either they cannot find or will not finde such was Nathan to David they must not count such men of contention and busie-fellows as the Iewes called Ieremiah but our evill age doth not onely hide sinn but maintaine sinne There is also too much propensitie both in the bade and also in the good to palliate sin to tranfer their troubles to other causes then to it I remember that Traian Generall to Valence the Emperour that mirror of impietie going against the Gothes he was defeated in the very first battle for which Valence upbrayded Trajan at a feast with cowardize and sloth as being the causes of the overthrow but noble Traian not enduring that indignitie with freedome of speech told enduring that indignitie with freedome of speech told the Emperour in plaine termes that he had lost the day for you do so war against God saith he meaning his persecuting of Christians that you abandon the victory and send it to your enemies Niceph. Calist lib. 11. Cap. 40 Eccle. Hist it is God saith he that overcommeth and he giveth the victory to those that obey him but such are your adversaries and therefore you haue God to fight against you how then can you overcome Here you may see a patterne of a wicked disposition well taken up and the saddle set upon the right horse And not onely doe such bloudy monsters as this shift off their calamities from their sinnes but also Gods people by falling in sin and lying in sin may be tainted with it witnesse David a man otherwise after Gods owne heart yet tainted with this Amongst the rest of his trickes of legerdemain when he spun the spiders webbe of his implicit sin this was one to cover the murther of Vriah he useth a principall experimentally knowen the sword devoureth one at well as another make thy battell more strong against the cittie and so overthrow it 2. Sam. 11.25 David spake the trueth but not truely for he knew that it was not common lot that had cut off Vriah but his owne heart and hand had caused him and others to fall yet he would daube over a filthy peece of business with a litle white plaistring but when once he was awaked he was so far from daubing as that he chargeth himselfe more deeply with every circumstance then any other could haue done I am the man And after the numbring of the people when his heart smote him grieving at the punishment of the people he taketh the whole sin upon him and vvould cleere the people both of the sin and punishment Loe I have sinned and I haue done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done 2. Sam. 24.77 let thy hand I pray thee be against me and against my fathers house CHAP. XLIIII Of quitting God of all injustice A Third thing in the behaviour of the conquered is this since sin is the cause they must quit God of all injustice how heavy soever their burthen lye upon them David quitteth the Lord of all injustice if he should adjudge him to eternall death Lament 〈◊〉 18. so doth the people of God in the lamentations being under the verie rod of his wrath The Lord is righteous for I haue rebelled against his commandment By condemning of our selues to acquit God De summo bono lib. 3. is the readiest way to get an acquitance from God Yea as Isedor saith let a man learne not to murmur when he suffereth although he were ignorant for what he suffereth let this suffice to tell him that he suffereth justly because it is from him that cannot deale but justly Pompey was herein exceedingly mistaken who seeing all to goe on Caesars side doubted not to say that there was a great deale of miste over the eye of divine providence for with him that offered nothing but wrong to the commoÌ„ wealth all things went well but with him that defended the common-wealth nothing succeded But Pompey blamed the Sunne because of his sore eyes There be many in our age of Pompey his saucie humor yea arranter wranglers then he because of greater light and showes of profession who if their corruption be never so litle crossed or the Lord
ride when windes blow and waues rage if heaven and earth be shaken this will hold But because groundlesse hope is no better then an Anchor without ground groundlesse hope saith the Poet for the most part deceiveth I wil point out the grounds of your hope in this great bufinesse and but briefly point at them because I may haue occasion to handle them more at large First consider the goodnesse of your cause of which I neede not much dispute for it will maintayne it selfe in the end A better cause there can not be then Gods right and mans right All Gods people that have scanned it are perswaded of the equitie of it which shall one day manifest it selfe as cleere as the Sunne shine at noon day This was it that maintayned Davids hope for as he often commends the goodness of his cause to God so he bringeth in his hope much depending on the goodnesse thereof Iudge me o God and plead my cause against an ungodly nation and unmercifull Psal 43.1 In consideration whereof he checkes his drouping soule and awaketh it up to waite upon God waite hopefully for God for yet I shall confesse him vers 5. Where observe as he maketh hope his Anchor so the goodnesse of his cause is the cable that he rideth by Bernard hath a pretty saying to this effect if the cause of the warre be good saith he the end of the warre can never be evill Si boun fuerit causa pugnae exitus malus esse non poterit neo bonus iudicabitur finis ubi causa non est bona Serm. ad milites Templi cap. 1. howsoever for many causes it may be long first and may be much at under in the meane time neither can a good end saith he come of an evill cause A second ground may be taken from the nature of hope it selfe which is to maintayne a man when all other things faile this sweeteneth and replenisheth the labour of the husbandman it conforteth the marriner when he seeth no land releeveth the patient when the phisition hath giuen him over and inlargeth the heart of the captive in the darkest prison This sustained David in all his troubles David acknowledged that he had fainted if this had not beene Psil 27. â—3 I had fainted except I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of God in the land of the living Where by the land of the living he meant even this world wherein men liue and in particular that land of Canaan the seate of Gods Church This so supported Iob that he would trust in God though he would kill him This was all that Alexander reserved to himselfe This is pictured like a beautifull virgin for the continuall beautie and vigor that is in it It is compared to brasse by the learned for the durable and impenetrable nature of it This is it that caryeth us aboue hope namely of carnall reason This is both staffe lanthorne when all sight and sence of all secondary means faile yea this is never higher elevated De divinia mâ—seratione tum ampltus spâ—raÌ„dum cum â—â—esidâ— humana â—â—fecerint Hexam then when our State in all mens eyes is at the lowest yea so low that the blasphemous wicked will not sticke to say God cannot restore him or at least God will not restore him Ambrose giveth a good direction from the nature of hope manifesting it selfe in greatest extremitie wee should most of all hope saith he in divine helpe wheÌ„ humane and secundary meanes fayle us so long as there is life there is ‘ DuÌ„ spâ—â—es sâ—â—â—a hope yea if it goe so hard with us that as Seneca saith Wee can hope †Qui nuÌ„â—il poâ—est sâ—e râ—ed dâ—speret nâ—bil nothing yet let us despayre nothing The third ground is from the succefle of hope in most desperate cases therefore it is said of hope that hope maketh not a shamed Which phrase is a Hebraisme denoting unto us the certainty or things hoped for to be accomplished Where first hee putteth a difference between hope in God and hope in man or humane things the latter proveth no better then a broken reed by which when a man is deceived he blusheth at the folly of his confidence but it is not so with that hope that is in God It likewise meeteth with the worlds misconstruction of Gods cause in distresse and the miserable case of his people when they see them deprived of their state their liues hunted like a Partridg how they are forsaken of their friends and made the object of the enemies wrath then the world flouts them Gods enemies whet their teeth on them drunkards sing songs of them vile Varlets bring them upon the Stage exposing their names and persons to all manner of contumelies and open mockery Is not this shame enough No saith the Apostle all this is nothing where hope is all the devils in hell cannot make a man ashamed for the things hoped for shall not deceiue him It is true that in temporall deliverances and vindicating his cause from the calumny of the enemy he hath not promised by this or that particular man yet it is enough to every particular man set a work that hee will doe it by him or another and why not by him as well as by another Let him waite on therefore it is enough that the Lord will doe his work Gen. 48.21 Israel said to Ioseph Behold I dye but God shall be with you and bring you againe to the land of your fathers Was not Davids case desperate in all mens eyes and in his own his hope almost forlorne his heart sunck in his belly Yet the object of his hope was made good Israels hope was very low for comming into the promised land and yet the Lord did not fayle them in any good thing they hoped for I might instance this in Ioseph Iob Mordecai and others But to bee short Let us come to our own times How haue many worthy men out of the sparkes of hope raked up in the ashes made a braue fire how haue they been lifted up out of the dust and their horn exalted on a suddain I will instance but in two or three Antonius Grimanius by noble prowesse and vertue rising from one degree to another till hee came to be Procurator for S. Marke in Venice but being defeated by the Turke in that Sea-fight at the Sporades through the fault of the Gally-masters that came not up to the fight hee was falsly accused to the Senate brought in chaines to his answer condemned to banishment and his greatest enemy Melchior Trivisan set up in his place but having lived in banishment till envy was extinct by the Senate hee was called back with a publique decree Integritatis virtutis ergo intimating his integrity and vertue to be the cause of his restitution and being made one of the Senate and Procurator as he was before he went in a great Embassie to Francis of France and
This is Princely indeed for as we are all born as Tully saith to doe so they especially who are of high place and authority To say much and doe nothing doth not rellish of the English wit nor worth whose noble ancestours for doing haue been too plaguie fellowes and enemies of State terrible as an Army of Banners It hath often been to me a matter of wonder how our Ancestors with so little or no light at all dispatched more work in a week then we in a year of which I conceiue with submission of my iudgement these to bee the reasons They presumed of the work done and made the honour of their house and the glory of their name the height of their ambition but we in greater light know that the work done wilnot serv and as for the assurance of Gods loue which should put confidence in our hearts and courage in our actions but a few labour for it and this is the death of action and they with whom Gods honour is not in the highest esteem never make a true account of their own honour Besides this our ancestors had not such hellish pates and hollow hearts to deale with as our Senate hath I wish they may work while they haue light for when the night commeth they cannot work if they would as I haue often shewed occasion to be the soule of action so when action looseth breath the soule departs and returns no more They want no lawes for their warrant nor patterns for their practise nor wit to apply them Let them up then and doe it and God will be with them Shall the fear of Forraigns freeze the waters of our counsell and never a fire of zeale nor even-down rain of courage to thaw or dissolue them Shall the prophane oppose piety and maintain ungodlinesse and never a Nehemiah to take an order with them Shall Snakes eate out the belly of the Common-wealth and still be kept aliue in our bosoms Shall the eye of our high and honourable Senate be dimmed or dazeled with a white Rochet Shall by him the Scepter of Christ be trampled under foot to the casting away of soules and his soule not pay for it Let me speak freely let them take heed how they let Benhadad that is men committed to their keeping goe lest the liues of them and us goe for their liues whom the Lord hath appointed either to destroy us or to be destroyed Shall a two faced Ianus or a man with a heart and a heart dance in a net or goe masked and no body see him nor unmaske him I hope they will pardon my freedom of speech for my boldnesse is no more then my fidelity loue and service bindes me to The fire of sinne flames through all the land and the fire of judgement is kindled in every corner except some bestir themselues to quench it we shall all be consumed The Lord giue resolution and action to those that are in place to arise for Sion for be they sure if they sit still deliverance shall come to Zion another way but they and theirs shal pay for it As for the Hollander I hope he will be still in action but I would haue him to do as much for God as he doth for himselfe and as much against sin as he doth against the enemy for that is the way to undoe the enemy It were better for them to be cast in the mould by a plaine and round dealing ministery then to be battered by the Popes foure corned Canoniers or the Arminians sacred minions the Prelates These be Hawkes of prey wherewith the Princesse of Parma and Granvil thought to haue seazed upon them in the beginning of their troubles and they haue ever and anone been threatned with them since Let them leaue off provoking God lest they be plagued with them as others of their neighbours be and let them take heed of that Romish Dictatorship of constant Moderation which is the next step to Imperious Hierarchy CHAP. XLIX Of the end of Warre NOW I come to the very last point concerning the end of war which I haue reserved to the end of the Treatise and will shut it up in a word or two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For a great book is called a great evill The end of it is Gods glory peace and publique good Evill ends may undoe good causes annihilate good means and frustrate the most probable expectations Iehu had a good cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maius bonum est sinis quam quod non est finis Arist lib. Rhet. cap. â— Horat. in Arte. and used lawfull means but his end was naught and that marred all to him It is true the worke of the Lord was done but no thanks to him who in seeking of his own ends made his own work the main work and the Lords the by-work The end as the Philosopher saith is the speciall good of a thing Private ends in warre are the greatest enemies of the publique good fuit haec sapientia quondam Publica privatis secernere sacra profanis It was the wisedome once for to perferre Publique to private sacred to profane Si stâ—dium pecuniae suftuleris aut quo ad res feret minueris Orat. 2 de Ordin Reip. Salust hath a pretty rule for the ordering of mens affections in military courses Thou maist bring a great deale of good saith he to the Country to the State to thy selfe and family to all those that haue any correspondency with thee if thou remoue desire of money or at least let is not haue dominion over thee I am here occasioned to direct my speech once more to the Lords of the Vnited Provinces that as publique good is the end of their war maintained so in raising means for the maintenance of warre they would prefer the publick good to the private which is not observed as I think in the still increasing of excize upon victuals for this course injureth a many as Commons Tradesmen Travellers yea and the souldiers whose bloud maintains the war and the private profite redoundeth to a handfull so great ones saving their purses by this disproportionable dealing they who haue least and labour most they haue often the most eaters and payes most Methinkes a Geometricall proportion were a great deale juster then an Arithmeticall and that the strongest horse should carry the heaviest load I speake plainly and out of loue to the State which many waies may be hurt by this inequality By-respect and sinister intent is like a strange fire which blows up the work and brings vengeance on the Workman it a close kind of hypocrisie and therefore the Lord will certainly plague it instance that requitall of Iehu his pretended zeal in the destroying of the house of Ahab First it was the Lords own work and Iehu had his warrant for it in the 2 of the Kings ch 9. v. 7. Thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master c. In the second place obserue
of God which will make you perfect to this and every good work As for order I hope your Honours are advised to take a strict order with the enemies of your own House that is the Draconarie companies of English Romanists whom I need not describe to you for you know them by their colours onely they may be noted by this briefe Description They are the Popes Asses the Devils Dromidaries the Spaniards familiars and the Iesuits Cabinat Ere you goe to war doe as Joshua did with the fiue Kings whom he couped up in a caue that they should not make head with recollected forces Ies 10. Shut up the Amorits and roule the stone to the Caues mouth and then fear not but you shall deal well enough with Amaleâ—k 2 Sam. 5. As David made sure the Jebusites that dwelt in the prime place of his Kingdom before be went against the Philistims doe you so with these Iebusites that dwell in the heart of your Countrey David took in Metheg Amath by which is meant Gath the word signifieth the bridle of Amath or of the hilly Tract 2 Sam. 8. For being the strength of the Philistims David made it a bridle to them So take in Gath that is the strong Fort of our home Philistims and it will be a bridle to our enemies abroad The Princes of the Philistims would not trust David but caused the King to send him back from the battell least he should betray them to his Master Saul Cap. 29. and should the Princes of Israel trust the Philistims who haue devoted themselues to Babel and their Country to their Cyrus as they call him You are the Eyes and Armes of our Soveraign the Body of the land the Councell and Strength for warre the Sword and Shield of Gods distressed cause the Terrour of the Adversary the rod for the wicked the Sithe to mowe down sinne and in a word the very Helm of the State Then as you look to haue honour here and glory hereafter Stand fast and quit your selues like men for God and your Country As the Greek Ephori the Roman Senators and the States of Venice to this day doe lay down themselues and all private passions of fear flattery and the rest before they enter the Senate house Vt Reipub. serviant so you must be all the Common-wealths and none of your own You had need of the Senatory ornaments enumered by Iethro especially Wisedom and Courage The greatest good hath the greatest opposition A Crown cannot be had without contending for it you haue not onely the weale of Caesars Crown but of Christs Crown to look to a jealous care of the latter is the safety of the former for they who honour God God will honour them As the externall evils of the body such as heat cold and wounds may well be prevented and easily cured but internall evils as sicknesse vlcers and the like are not commonly fore-seen nor easily cured so the open enemies of State are quickly discovered and easily opposed but the mothes and cankers ulcerous plagues and hecticks arising out of the State it selfe are so hardly discovered till they be past cure that they become the spoyle of policie and opprobrie of States-men Polib lib. 11. bist Of those inward evils haue a speciall care and keep close to your rules without slavish fear And howsoever it fall out it is greater cunning and matter of more commendation in the Phisitian to make a true use of his rules then to eure the Patient As tediousnesse is not for such a presence nor weaknesse worthy to direct such a Senate I deprecate what may be found amisse and with this close I shut up all Doe you what you should and let God doe what hee list Your Honours in all possible service A. L. TO THE TRVELY SINCERE READER IT is a common Apologie Iudicious and Christian Reader that men are Ioath to write because so many write It is true in deed that this is the first of the three main remoraes in way of writing for there be too many bookes either to no end or to an evill end the former blurreth paper the latter blotteth the mind the former cloyes the latter corrupteth like flies in hot weather The other two letts are neglect of mens paines storming at the trueth yet for al these the abuse of a good thing or evill interâ—animent must not stop the use of it Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because so many speake as the Philosopher saith I was ashamed to be silent Manie poysons must haue many antidotes As the Popes shop wanteth no sort of workmen some to mine and some to vndermine some to cosen some to cut some to poyson some to dispute some to fight and some to giue the Alarum so with these souldierly Ignatians or men-Serpents treatise doth incounter not teaching treacheries and treasons or an Equivocall holy warre but the true art of the holy warre indeed Instances of such flery and flying serpents wee haue had too many at home as Morton for the Northerne rebellion Saunders for Ireland and to omit the treasons against the person of the Queene by Parrie Balliard Somerfield Watson Lopes and the rest Would not Garnet at one stroke haue cut the heads from vs all These fellowes haue more cunning then Archimedes they would move the whole earth if they had but England to stand on It is to be feared that they haue got too much footing and that wee haue more Legions of those evil Spirits amongst vs then wee are aware of Paracelsus telleth vs when frogges heap together one upon another it is a signe of a plague so wee haue cause to feare those plaguy froggs whose doctrine and practice sound nothing but treachery and Armes Classasicum bellisacri witnesse Shoppius in his Alarurn manie others of that graine They tell us indeed that Englands feare of them is like that of Alexanders espiall who discovering Apes imitating a march from the mountaines tooke them to be souldiers indeed Mâ—derat Answ Cap. 1. Apes they are indeed for counterfetting of Christ for malice mischeife subtilitie against his flocke the Metempsuchosis well beommeth them but they march from the mountaines of Babel like souldiours and it is to be feated that with Aelians-Ape they will kill our young ones in the cradle if they be not lookt to They mocke and disgrace the Lyon whose onely cure and best securitie consisteth in their ruine Against their Apish flatteries and overtures of peace â—â—â—c non 〈◊〉 the law of not beleeving is the best remedie for an ape will ever be an ape Simia semper erit simia He that relieth upon the faith of the faithlesse papist may one day with woefull experience say as Bricidas the Lacedemonian said I was wounded my shield betraying me As for the matter Prodente me clypio vulneratus sum the generall subiect thereof hath been handled by divers but in every particular
evil qualities of the wicked man this is reckoned as the chiefe Ps 140.1.2 that he is prone to war Release thou me Iehovah from the evill man from the man of wrong c. Every day they gather warres Yea in this the wicked man discovers the image of his father the devill Rev. 20.8.9 who being let loose after the thousand yeares expired goeth out to deceiue the people and to gather them together to battell Warre the wages of sin And for the second that it is the wages of sin and that the speciall it is as cleare as the first from plaine places of Scripture from Gods order in his proceeding and Davids avoyding of this when God gave him his choyce of the punishment For the first the Lord threatning to harden himselfe against his people in punishment as they had hardened themselves against him in sin Lev. 26.25 saith thus I will bring upon you a sword that shall avenge the quarrell or vengeance of my covenant It appeareth also in the order of Gods proceeding by comparing of places of Scripture together as the first and second Chap. of the prophesie of Ioel. The Lord having plagued his people with famine by the which they were not moved to repentance he coÌ„mandeth the Trumpet of war to be sounded telleth them that he would bring a fierce and cruell people against them whose mercilesse monstrons tyranny he compareth to the devouring of fire and for the fiercenesse of their consuming wrath he calleth that plague The day of the Lord a day of darkenes a day of blacknes Thirdly and lastly David delivereth thus much in choosing rather the plague Warre the cause of sin Rara fides pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur Lucan then the prevayling hand of the enemye 3. Warre is likewise the cause of much sin as pregnant testimonies and woefull experience teacheth The proverbe is as true as common That faith and pietie are rare in armes Wee may iustlie now with Erasm that great Maister in Arts take up the complaint made by him of his time Wee war continually Nation against Nation Kingdom against Kingdom Citie against Citie Prince against Prince People against People friend against friend kinsman against kinsmaÌ„ brother against brother yea son against the father which the very Heathen held impious and barbarous yea that which is most detestable of all Christian against Christian and yet there be saith he that commend and applaud this hellish practise for a holy course instigating the inflamed fury of Princes by adding oile to the flame as they say till all be consumed And what is come of this I may answer What evill is not come of it I may justly apply that of Aristophanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Lypsius applyeth to the troubles of his time That God the heaven and earth hath set on fire In war renown honor wealth chastity life wiues and children yea and religion it selfe lyeth at the stake nothing so sacred no sex so tender no age so impotent which the barbarous souldier will not contaminate defloure and kill It is the souldiers sport as one saith truely to ruin houses to ravish Virgins to spoit Churches Iocus ludas in militia c. Ludo. vives in epist ad Henr. 8. Angl. reg Silent leges inter arma to consume Cities and Towns to ashes with sire yea these be the ornaments of war to profit none to hurt every one to respect neither sex nor age yea nor God himselfe for his in warr are neglected and the lawes of peace and war contemned All laws in Armes are silenc't by the sword The world for the proofe of this affoords a world of woefull experience both from sacred and profane Writ To omit the examples of ages past let us view with compassion the instances of our own times and as God usually doth commemorate his latest mercies to leade men to repentance and his latest judgements to terrifie men from their sinnes so let us look upon the latest warres in France Bohemia and the Palatinate Is it not with Gods people every where as it was with them in Asa his time There is no peace to him that goeth out or commeth in but great vexations are upon all the inhabitants of the Countries 2 Chron. 15.6 7. and Nation is destroyed of Nation And though my heart doth quake while I remember Et quanquaÌ„ animus meminisse horret Phil. 2.1 Yet to use the words of the Apostle If there be any confolation in Christ any comfort of loue any fellowship of the spirit any compassion and mercie behold all you that passe by your mournfull sisters Bohemia and the Palatinate with their torn hair about their eyes their vail taken away their crown fallen their sanctuaries defaced their people flain their land laid wast yong old Priest and people exposed to the immane and bloudy cruelty the beastly filthinesse and Ismaelitish mockerie of the cruell enemy In a word was there ever sorrows like to theirs Yea I may safely say the old Threns of Ieremy hath got a new subject And what is the immediate cause of all this evill of sin and punishment Tu bellum causa malorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even bloudy warre thou art the cause of all It is the part therfore of wise men saith one if they be not the more provoked to be quiet yea of good men if they be provoked to change peace into warre but so that they change war againe into peace with all possible conveniencie Men disposed to unnecessary warre are compared by some vnto two Gamsters whereof the one is undone and the other is never a whit the richer Plin. l. 8.2 for all the gain is in the box Compared also they may be fitly to the Elephant and the Dragon Plin. l. 8. c. 12. which in their cruel conflict are each killed by other The Dragon as it is written sucketh out the bloud of the Elephant and being drunke therewith the weight of the falling Elephant oppresseth the Dragon and crusheth out the bloud which some calleth but falsly sanguis Draconis but they both perish And so it often falleth out with the unadvised undertakers of warr Vpon this ensuing evill the wise and learned haue taken occasion to check the humors of Princes so disposed as Lodovic Vives to Pope Adrian and in his epistle to Henry the 8 King of England there his motiues and counsels against unnecessary warre are to be seen at large The proverbe is true indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sub melle venenunclâ—tet That warre is very sweet to those that never tasted it but those that taste it shall be forced to confesse that there is poyson under the honey This Hannibal the honour of Carthage knew very well when the Roman Embassadours came from Rome to treat of the continuance of peace one Gisco as great a coward as a vain-glorious bragger without either the practick or
his forces But because this succeded not the great Armado in 88 was set out to sinke our nation For both the matter of that warre and the cruell manner of the execution intended if the ground be well searched I thinke it will be found no better then the successe As for that Hispaniolized Popish pamphleter indevouring with tooth and nayle to make good that Spanish invasion from provocation given by her Majesty to the Spaniard he shevveth himself a Viper to the honor of his Countrie concealing treacherously both the iniquitie of the Spanish ground and his trechery in the manner of proceeding The affairs of Holland pag. 53. under the colour of a treatie But him in his coulours I shall haue occasion in some other treatise to discover more largely Lastly for these present warrs maintayned with much outrage and crueltie by the popish faction what good ground can be given I see not unlesse their Trent designe be a good ground which was to root out the Gospell and to ruine the Professors thereof throughout all Christendome If this rule should hold in every war No war but just let Magistrates maintayn Bella magistratus non nisi justa gerat Then I am sure that all the aforesaid Warres of the crew recited are against this rule yea a just quarrell in the Popes or Spaniards hand is a very rate thing Witness their practises and possessions the right whereof now I mean not to canvasse I am sure of this that they contend for much and keepe much that they haue as much right to as the Devill had to the body of Moses One thing I could wish them that they would follow Charles the 5 in one thing who in his retired life taking account of his actions which were in number twenty more remarkeable he viewed them often and amongst all the rest when he looked upon that unjust war made against the Duke of Saxon and the rest of the Protestant Princes with sighes and words hee much regrated the same But I fear they must be cloystered up before they doe the like But if intreatie or example cannot moue let the infamie of unjust war and the issue of it terrifie all the undertakers of it It is a shame for a Christian to play the Matchivilian Now this is one of his most impious and hellish principles that upon any occasion a Prince may undertake-warre although there be no just ground for it Vpon which fals ground he perswaded Laurence de Medicis to undertake the conquest of Italy which he might easily atchieue by the help of the Church by the which he meant Leo the 10. He propounds likewise before him and others that monstrous abortiue Caesar Borgia as a pattern to be followed but to follow this pattern or to usurp anothers right is the very note and work of a tyrant as the Chancellour of Rochel wel observed in the advice formerly mentioned As for the issue both sacred Writ and humane Histories The bitter fruits of unjust war doe tell us that remarkeable ruin yea and sometimes utter extirpation hath followed upon unjust warre For brevities sake I will onely instance with these two well known but yet very memorable examples The former of Amaleck Deu. 25 1â— concerning whom the Lord giues a strict charge that hee should be rooted out yea his people should doe it and not forget iâ— so the Lord is said to haue him in remembrance till he did see the charge fully executed Dent. 32. Another instance obserue in Simeon when Moses before his death blesseth all the Tribes Simeons name is quite omitted which is not without matter of note especially if we compare this with other passages answerable to this as vvhen the blessing was first given he looseth his honour Gen. 49.5.7 his posterity in the wildernesse was diminished from 93000 at the first muster to 22200 at the latter muster Numb 1.26 14. neither were there Iudges of his Tribe as of others he had no possession by himselfe The ground of all which as I conceiue vvas their unjust war and bloudy execution Yea the moving of unjust warre argueth exceedingly the want of the fear of God Deut. 2â— 18 for by the feare of the Lord men depart from evill Prov. 16.6 And what fear of God is there in those Captaines Colonels or Souldiers that never lookes to the cause nor cares not whom they serue so it be a golden service CHAP. IIII. Of the Authority required in waging War THVS much having spoken of the equity of the cause I come now to the second circumstance of the description which requireth competency of person A just cause of warre doth not warrant every man to undertake warre Egâ— enim existimo in summo imperatore quatuor has res esse o â—ortere scilicet scientiam rei militaris virtutem authoritatem foelicitatem Cic. in orat de laud mâ—g Pomp. 1 The necessity of authority Things required in warre may be reduced to these foure heads authority vertue fitnesse and discipline though others may reduce them to some other heads yet all comes to one effect Tully requireth in the supreme Commander these foure things Knowledge of War Vertue Authority and Successe Successe here required by Tully must of necessity follow the circumstances by me forementioned The first thing then is authority primarily in the Magistrate and from him derived to the Souldiers both Commanders and others What the meanest souldier doth hee must doe it by authority which doth warrant him to doe many things which otherwise were unlawfull as to kill sack and spoyl which vvithout authority were murther robbery and cruell oppression Authority then is the Key of War vvithout the which warre is a meer Aceldema or field of bloud and a chaos of confusion Moses the great Commander of the Lord had authority to fight the battels of the Lord Like authority did he at Gods command Numb 27.18 v. 23 put upon Ioshua Take saith the Lord Ioshua the son of Nun a man in whom is the spirit and put thy hand upon him c. which Moses did as you may see in Numbers by the renewing of the same charge especially for the warr Moses strengthens and confirms Ioshua And Moses called to Iosâ—hua Deut. 31.7 and said to him in the eyes of all Israel be thou strong and couragious for thou shalt goe in with this people c. Thus the war against the foure Kings was undertaken at Abrahams command That rash and heady adventure of the Israelites against the Canaanites and Amalekites as it was without Gods approbation so it was without authority for neither Moses Aaron nor the Arke went up with them and therfore Moses doth call their attempt a bofty presumption And such was their successe for they were smitten to Hormah Numb 14.45 a name answerable to the event namely destruction Such be the warres made by the man of sinne and the Locusts of the bottomlesse
rather perish then unity Pereat unuâ— potius quâ— unitas â—especially where it is deserved They must know how â—ardly souldiers are kept in order and vvhat a dangerous â—ing disorder is in warre To conclude this point I wish from my heart that our souldiers now may deserue the commendation that Iosephus gaue to the Romane souldiers They so obsequiously obeyed their Commanders that in peace the were an ornament and in warre the whole Army was as on body so that with ready eares and quick eies to receiuâ— signes and precepts they performed their service couragiously and strennuously How could they then saith he not conquer CHAP. VIII Of the lawfull undertaking of War THVS having shewed the personall circumstances 1 Causes to be made known 2 Reparation demanded 3 And lastly warr to be denounced 〈◊〉 come to the third main circumstance of the description namely the lawfull undertaking of it A war may be lawfull in it selfe and yet unlawfully undertaken As for noâ— making the causes known not requiring reparation of the wrong and finally for not denouncing of the warre All these were observed by the Israelites in repairing the wrong done to the Levite and his Concubine For first the Tribeâ— sent to Gibeah to expostulate the wickednesse vvith Beâ—jamin Ludg. 20. they demanded those children of Belial that were the malefactors that by putting them to death evill might be done away To the which when the children of Benjamit would not hearken Israel makes war against them which doubtlesse was denounced upon the denyall as appeareth by the Benjamits taking notice of it and preparing themselues to intertain the vvar Iudg. 20.11.12 c. In which passage it is not amisse to obserue that Marginall note of rebeâ—ion Scripture abuse by thâ— Doct. of Doway of the Doctors of Doway made upon the place That omission or contempt to punish haynous crimes is a just cause to make warre against any people Their bloudy conclusioÌ„ falsly observed from the premisse I shall after haue occasioÌ„ to hanâ—â—e for the preseÌ„t let this suffice They force the Text against the minde of the holy Ghost For howsoever the people â—â—ere devided in tribes yet it vvas one intire politique body 〈◊〉 heads vvhereof might call any offenders to an account â—hich they might not haue done if they had been under â—stinct dominions and policies But of this more hereafter 〈◊〉 To the present matter that this proceeding is requisite Reasons it 〈◊〉 not onely cleere from the law of nature and nations but also from the law of God the continued practise both of Gods people of the heathen In the booke of the law the â—ord commandeth his people when they come to fight against a Cittie they should proclaime peace which if they entertayned then were they to saue them make them tributaries But if they should reject the condition theÌ„ were they to beâ—eige the Cittie to smite the people to take the spoile to themselves Deut. 20.10.11.12 So the tribes by Embassadors examined the Reubenites erecting of the Altar before they would war against them Iosh 22.12 Yea God himself who for his dominion and power both in heaven and earth is â—alled the Lord of hosts keepeth this selfe same course in his proceeding against the rebellious sonnes of men For proofe here of the Scripture is copious I will therefore point out one place in the prophesie of Hosea Blow ye the cornet in Giheah the trumpet in Ramah cry aloud Ch. 5.8 or beat up the drum at 〈◊〉 thaveÌ„ after thee O Beniamin As here the Prophet describeth the treacherie and rebellion of the people against God so he beingeth in God as it were comming in armes or marching in battle-ray against the people But withall he willeth the priests and watchmen upon the wall to giue them warning 〈◊〉 by sound of trumpet and beating of the drumme to proâ—aime the Lords comming that they might prepare themselves to meet the Lord by repentance And this God doth 〈◊〉 shew the equitie of his wayes that as he giveth lawes to â—thers he will be a law to himselfe The heathens that know not God were strict in this course Belli aequitas sanctissime feciali populi Romani jure praescripts est nam nullum bellum justuÌ„ nisi quod denunciatuÌ„ sit indictum lib. 1. de off as appeareth by an in violable rule of war mentioned by Tullie The equitie of war doth religiouily require that by an herauld of armes from the Romane Senate war should be proclaimed For no war saith he can be just which is not before denounced and proclaymed This forme of denouncing war was first taken up amongst the heathens by one Rhesis as witnesseth the ‘ Author de viris illustribus cap. 5. Author of worthy men brought into Rome as Livi witnesseth by Ancus Marcius their King the forme whereof wee finde in sundry Authors of note ê° Livi lib. 1. Gell. lib. 10. A herauld of Armes with two sufficient witnesses was tâ— fling a speare into the Territories of the enemie Vpon the inlargment of their dominions they had a Pillar which they called the Pillar of war from which they flung a bloudy speare that was kept in the Temple of Mars toward the enemy on whom they vvere to vvar â— Columna bellica This was likewise the custome of the Persians c Ammians Marcellinus lib. 16. CHAPT IX Against whom to War THe fourth circumstance following in the description An enemie must be the obiect of war concerneth the object of war or the partie against whom we are to war namely an internall or externall enemie So did rhe Israelites in their warres commanded against the seven nations or in their warres permitted upon occasion against their enemies So the Israelits against the Beniamits for they were become Gods enemies and the enemies of the common-wealth The Lord will not suffer his people to meddle vvith the Moabites because they vvere friends in the flesh though untovvard ones permitting yet by Gods mercy his people to passe by them paying for the necessaries they tooke of them So neither with the Ammonites not theirs did they meddle Deut. 2.9.19 Iacobus Ruardus Comment de divers Reg. jur It was a Law amongst the Romanes that upon controversies arising friendship should be given up and deadly enmity openly profest beâ—ore they made warre upon them Hence it appeareth how unwarrantably against the Law of Nature and Nations the Duke of Bavaria hath taken up Armes against his deer and faithfull friend without just cause or good occasion given him by him or his Croesus was demanded by Socrates vvhat vvas the preciousest thing he had gained by his greatnesse Max. Serm. 6. He answered revenge upon his foes and advancement of his friends What a vile thing is it then to take vengeance on the friend and to advance the foe A hurtfull friend is worser then a foe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
wee not prosper in any thing whither soever wee goe as Iosuah did euen because wee doe not as Iosuah did Wee walke not according to all the law of God which he hath commanded and yet for all this if we would turne to the Lord wee need not to feare the increase of their forces It is true that they doe increase and must once make a head that in great number for as the great Whore sitteth upon many waters that is as the spirit expoundeth to be the inhabitants Kings of the earth so the three uncleane spirits come out of the mouth of the DragoÌ„ of the beast of the false Prophet to gather the Kings of the earth of the whole world to the battle of Harmagiddon that they may the more prevayle they come with lying miracles in iudgment to those whom they doe deceive You see their number must be great for they must be many Kings yea of the whole world in account theÌ„ there must needs be many people to maintayne the tottring Kingdom of the devill wheÌ„ it is euen at the downefull Yet for all these hands they shall haue enough to doe The Angell that powreth out the seventh violl saith it is done Rev. 16. yea the cup of the wine of the fiercenes of Gods wrath shal be giueÌ„ her by the hand of Gods litle flocke The multitude shal neyther maintayne her nor themselves but all shall perish together Avoide superstition The seventh thing to be looked to is that superstition be avoyded whereunto as corrupt nature is very subject In Moral so most of all in extremitie A superstitious man as Plutarch well observeth feareth every thing except that which he should feare Foure especiall wayes doe men in this particular commit superstition by consulting with sorcerers or southsayers How many waies superstition is coÌ„mitted by taking some casualties as ominous by observing of dayes and by seeking to Idols To the first Gaius Marius had a Witch out of Scythia with whom he alwaies consulted of the event of warr Front lib. 1 Cap. 11. before he undertooke it Did not Saul in the like case seeke to the Witch at Endor They who forsake God and whom God hath forsaken may run to the devil for counsell for that is all their refuge yea when men take that course it is a shrewd evidence that they are forsaken of God As he would not answere God with any kindly obedience so God would not answere him by any manner of manifestation not by a dreame for he had no temper of the spirit not by the Vrim or Priest for he had killed the faithfull ones and so in his greatest necessitie he wanted the comfort of them not by a Prophet for he despised the spirit he runneth therefore to the devills dame for so the word doth signifie or the mother of a familiar â—al alah obâ— 1. Sam. 28. and she must tell him what shall be the event of the battel When God leaveth men to themselues they know not what to doe all his wit and policie and all the cunning of his courtiers could not helpe him out with this lurch This amongst the rest made way for Pompeys overthrow for he consulted with a woeman of Thessaly who brought him a souldier as he thought from the dead Luc. lib. 6. declaring to him the bad successe of the Pharsalian battel Iulian after his apostacie betooke him wholy to Sorcerers and Conjurers Richard the third made this a speciall part of his counsel Iames the third of Scotland was much corrupted with this kind of vermin and so much was the more pittie for he was a Prince of excellent parts but he plagued himselfe with two sorts of euill beasts namely superstitious figure-flingers and cater-piller favorits whereby he brought desolation upon the land and himselfe to an untimely end Considering Gods hatred against the sin and the euill end of all such as haue taken this course it is a wonder especially that men illuminated should looke this way but whom God will destroy he giueth them up to corruption of judgement and madnesse of mind as Austin well observeth of Saul being become a reprobate he could not haue a good understanding Mox reprâ—bus factus non potuit habere bonuÌ„ intellectum As for the Papists conjuring and consultation it is a main part of their Leiturgie Yea they haue one tricke more of this kind namely to giue Amulets to souldiers going to fight whereby they assure them of securitie from all hurt A worthy Historiam giueth an instance of this The French under the conduct of Charles Alobroge going against Geneva in the yeare of our Lord 1502 had Amulets from their charming fathers to hang about their necks wherein were ingraven crosses with the beginning of S. Iohns Gospell the name of Mary Iesus of the Trinitie with many odd Characters inscriptioÌ„s promising to all those that should wear them that they should not perish that day by earth water nor the sword But the devill was cunning enough to cozen theÌ„ Salustius Pharamumdus de adventu Alobrogum in Genevam for though they scaped those particulars yet they perished another way In the night their Characters were taken from them they were strangled and blowne in the ayre Iesuits know it is foule play to wear amulets in fight and against the lawes of Armes and yet they will be doing Let such as loue soule or life beware of these for such things haue neyther hid force nor elementary qualitie to saue or preserve Austin of such hath a very good speech with a counsell subioyned Many saith he being driven to a strayt seeke helpe of the devill in the persons of Charmers or Enchaunters and in the supposed force of Amulets what is this but to goe to our invisible enemies who kill the soule perswading us that there is no helpe with God The eares of such saith he are shut at the voice of God saying In Psalm 34. the Lord is my salvation but let us saith the father inquire of God and not of any other for our deliverance is of God howsoever he worke it by lawfull secundary meanes which wee may use but all the meanes of charming wee must hate as the devill from whence they are The second thing to be avoided is an ominous construction of casualties When Scipio transported his souldiers out of Italie unto Africa as he went a shore his foot slip and he fell on his face whereat his souldiers being astonished conconceiving it as a token of evill successe Scipio with a braue courage making a better construction Goe sport your selues said he my souldiers for I haue already taken possession of Affrica It is fit for avoyding this that a wise Generall be seen in some measure in the causes of naturall things which seeming to the ignorant prodigious they may therin giue them satisfaction Lucius Sulpicius Gallus foretold to his souldiers the Eclips of the
Moon and the causes of the said Eclipse that they might not be dismayed at it through the ignorance of the cause Pericles going to war as he went aboord of his ship the Sun was eclipsed at the darknesse of which eclipse the Master of the ship was exceedingly astonished taking it for some ominous or prodigious thing but the General cast his cloake over the Masters face and asked him if there were any matter of terrour in that who answered noâ— No more in the other said the General but that the cause is not so well known If Heathens were thus wise is it not a shame for Christians to startle at the signes of heaven or at the casuall occurrences of accidents below Let Gods command medcine this shie disposition which is worse then heathenish in the Lords account Ier. 10.2 Be not dismayed at the signes of heaven for the Heathens are dismayed at them The third thing is seeking to idols or false Gods so did all the Heathen and new Rome is not one whit short of old Rome in this Maior coelitum populus quaÌ„ hominum lib. 2. cap. 7. Yea as Plinie saith of the one so I may say of the other that the number of their gods exceedeth the number of the Papists And as another saith well they are Lapideus populus a people made of stocks and stones to Saint George and to such they goe for successe in battell The last is difference of daies as some daies they hold good to fight on and some bad as though the Lord had made one day good and another bad This superstitious differencing of daies the other Rome held both in position and practise They were called Fighting-daies saith one wherein it was lawfull to fight with the enemy Proeliares dies appellantur quibus fas est hostem bello lacescere erant enim quaedam feriae publicae quibus nefas fuit id facere for there were some feriall daies wherein it was not lawfull to fight Of these irreligious daies and of their strictnesse in this point Cato maketh †Festus mention in his commentary upon the Civill Law In those daies saith he they did not levy men nor ioyne battell nor sit in iudgement The Macedonians abstayned from fight all the moneth ‘ Tacit. Dio. in Pompo of Iune The Germans held it unfortunate to fight in the beginning of the new Moon or in the full of the Moone It is observed of the Iewes that they neglecting to defend themselvs on the Saboth Pompey took Ierusalem Lucullus the Roman Captain considered better of the matter who being to fight upon the eighth day of October against Tigranes was by some of the company disswaded from it because Scipio as on that day had had a great defeat Plut. Rom. Apoth Let us said he therefore fight the more stoutly that we may make to the Romanes a good day of an evill Ioshua and Israel compassed Iericho seven daies and on the last day took it which was the Saboath of the Lord. Ios 6. One perswading a Generall not to fight upon some ominous conceit taken of the day Optimum augurium est pro patria fortiter pugnare ' I hold it saith he the best kind of divination to fight stoutly for my Country To obserue daies or months and times standeth not with Christian liberty It is charged upon the King of Bohemia when Prague was taken that he would not fight on the Lords day but it is one of the lightest aspersions put upon him by his calumnious enemies If he had fought and carryed the day they would haue put his fighting as an imputation upon his profession for fighting upon the Saboath As fighting hereon and all other works should be avoyded as much as may be though the Papist as one saith pestereth the week with idoll-holydaies and heathenishly maketh lesse reckoning of this then of the least of his devised holydaies yet if necessity command either to assault or defend the day is made for man and not the man for the day That restriction which the Heathens held concerning their daies agreeth very well to the Lords day Si ultima necessitas suadeat administretur Cato in coÌ„ment de jure civili that is if necessitie inforce to fight we may Let Gods people therefore both in peace and warre beware of Romes superstition It is said that old Rome had their superstition from the Hetruscians whether they sent every year Valer. Max. lib. 1. cap. 1. six of the Patricians sonns to learn the rites of religion but all Nations now haue their superstition from new Rome which is become the Mistresse of Whorish inventions and whether our Romanists send their yong Cobbes to learn their postures and motions Of her whosoever borroweth for garnishing or rather for gaudifying of the worship of God may justly feare to the woe of their soules that they pay as deer for it as Israel did for the golden Calf The Altar of Damascus provoked the Lord to forsake his own Altar wherein Achaz presumed of safety oh Cimmâ—rian blindnesse and fearfull apostasie but it proved contrary for it was the ruin of him 2 Chron. 28.23 and of all Israel according to the word it was the break-neck of them or as some translate not unfitly it plagued him and all Israel Was the Apostle in fear of the Galatians Ga. l. 4.10 because they kept daies and monethsâ— And may not we feare and tremble who haue not onely their dismall hollow daies mince them as you will but 〈◊〉 great deale more of the devils dirt wherwith as with a garment spotted with the flesh the garment of Christ is fearfully defiled The strange Armes or colours of the enemy in the field or Cittie are ominous indeed for by them the wallâ— haue been scaled and the forces slain and routed without so much as a blow given in defence even so doe not the Armes of the Beast and the colours of the Whore set up cheek by joull with Gods colours in his House and amongst his Armies in the field presage some fearfull plague approching especially to those that are a sleep our Laodicean conceit shall be so far from sheltering us that thereby we provoke God that he can beare no longer but that he must needs spâ—â— us out of his mouth which if he doe it is to be feared we are such a loathsome thing that he will never take us up againe but make a new people to himselfe Wherefore in the first place Awake you Angels and Watchmen indeed upon the Walls whom I charge as you will answer before God your Master that you will cast away the inverse Trumpets of Furius Fulvus which sounded a retrait when they should haue sounded an Alarum With the Prophet Psay proclaime the iniquity of those things which pestereth Gods worship Isa 30.22 and run so many upon the rocks of separation Are they not the coverings of Idols or Idols themselues Shew the
your heads and shame upon your enemies This course will break the heads of the Dragons of your sinns this will offer violence to heaven and as it were inforce God to answer this will be like an earthquake to your enemies it will sinke them it will swallow them up A pretty instance of this I remember from the confession of an arch-enemy of the Gospell namely Queen mother of Scotland who fighting against God and the erecting of his Kingdom confessed openly That she feared more the fasting and prayer of the man of God Iohn Knox and his Disciples then an Army of 20000 armed men As your neglect hath been great in this particular so the blemish of out Nation in neglecting and opposing this office is indeleble No Nation professing the Gospell but they haue publiquely been humbled in some measure we excepted we onely haue not set forth to help thus against the mighty which I thinke verily hath accursed all the rest of our helps that they are as Water spilt upon the ground It is true that the soules of Gods people haue been exceedingly humbled in secret for the afflictions of Ioseph and haue poured out their hearts in aboundance of sighes and teares for their miseries But what is this to the publique discharge Since I am fallen upon the point I cannot but with griefe obserue that this Nation hath been at such opposition and enemity with this duety that it is thought as dangerous a thing to undertake it as it was in Athens to make mention of the recovery of Salamis or as it was amongst the Iewes to speake in the name of Iesus What should be the cause of this I haue often wondred I am sure of this It is an evill sign of an evill cause yea a fearfull fore-runner and provoker of Gods long protracted wrath to fall upon us Not any finne of omission or commission hath a more fearfull threatning against it then this Witnesse the Prophet Esay Ch. 22.12.13.14 When God saith he called to weeping and mourning and to humiliation in the highest degree as the word importeth then behold saith he ioy and gladnesse slaying of Oxen and all the contraries by which they braved out God to his face But what followed A fearfull threatning Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you dye saith the Lord of Hosts Whose eares should not tingle to heare this And whose heart should not tremble to thinke upon it And yet the best in this is too secure But since the duety is so called for and since it setteth such an edge on invocation it hath so prevailed against the enemies of Sion and the neglect of it is so severely threatned what may be the cause may some say that in a Christian Common wealth it should be thus neglected and withstood If you will haue my opinion in my judgement I conceiue these to be the Remoraes or break-necks of this duty First the universall plenty except the wants of the meaner for so long as there be Oxen and Sheep to kill and sweet wine enough so long no humiliation Ioel 1.13 When the meat offering and the drink-offering fayleth them then will the Priests saith the Lord by Ioel gird themselues in sackcloth and lament and houle A second let is the conceited glory of the Church the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord say they and that imgreat pompe and glory and what need we mourn It is an outside glury indeed but there is but a little glory within A third let is this men are so inslaved to sin and Satan and so vassalled to their own corruptions that they dare not incounter with their Maisters for whose service they haue bored their eares The fourth Remora is this the plants that are not of Gods planting know well that the use of humiliation would find out the causes of our evill amongst which themselues would be found to be the chief So that it is no wonder that they cannot endure to hear of humiliation But if men be thus fearfull to awake sleeping dogs and will hazard themselues and the Nation upon the point of Gods Pike what a fearfull plight shall they be in in that gloomy day that is like to come upon us wherein the Lord shall giue the Alarum May not Ahab condemne us in this Obliviscitur se Regem esse ubi Deum omniū Regem pertimescit purpuram abjicit c. And where shall we appeare when Ninivie sheweth it selfe Of whose King Ambrose giveth this pretty observation that he forgot himselfe to be a King when once his heart was smitten with the fear of the King of Kings hee casteth away his robes and beginneth by his repentance to be a King indeed for he lost not his command but changed it from the worse the better But to conclude the point oh that my counsell could please all those that I haue spoken to both Kings Ministers and people that we might be humbled as one man together and every man apart by himselfe and renting our hearts before the Lord never leaue importuning him nor let him goe till he were intreated If we would humble our selus the Lord would humble our enemies It is his Covenant Psal 81.13.14 Oh that my people had hearkened to me and walked in my waies I should soon haue subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their Adversaries Oh that wee were like Israel in the Iudges Chap. 20. who went to God the second time humbling themselues and offering burnt-offerings and peace offerings whereupon the Lord gaue their enemies into their hands So if we would humble our selues and kill our sinnes our enemies should quickly loose what they haue got and pay full deerly for all costs and damages But before I conclude the point take one caveat with the duty that it be performed with sincerity and singlenesse of heart for if it be done in hypocrisie or perfunctorily slighted over in the performance it provokes God and plagues the performer The Hollanders and French fast but without exprobation be it spoken they had need to send as God speaks for mourning women Ier. 19.17 that by their cunning they may be taught to mourn A soft heart sets well to a mournfull ditty where this is wanting there is no musick Humiliarion without reformation is a mockery of God and the undoing of a good cause The Lord tels us in the 58 chapter of Esay and the 7 of Zacharie how he abhorred the fasting of his people without reformation he giues a good reason in the fift and sixth verses They fasted not to the Lord but to themselues that is for their own ends as if men would serue their own turns with God and care not a whit how hee be served of them it were just with God to mock both them and us with shews of favours because we mock him with shews of service and amendment And surely if we look not to it in the humbling of
shee had lived to haue taken up her fathers bones and burned them In this popish Rome is worse then heathen Rome who had written in their Capitol for moderation of victory parce victis frange superbos spare the conquered and bring under the proud Epaminondus may be a patterne to all in this who hauing reioyced for his victory at Luctris came forth the next day amongst his souldiers all evill put on and with a sad countenance the cause whereof being demanded by his friends I did please my selfe too much said he yesterday with conceit of the victory but thinking on the bloud that is shed I chastise my selfe to day Agiselaus after his great victory at Corinth seeing a great number of Corinthians and Athenians lying slaine was so far from reioycing or growing proud of the victory that in sorrow he cryed out woe is me for Greece Plutarch in Lacon Malo unū civem servare quam mille hostes occidere who in civill combustions hath lost so many brave souldiers as might haue conquered all the barbarians for so they termed other nations It was a frequent and a worthy saying of Antonius Pius for the which Capitolinus commendeth him much that he had rather save the life of one subiect then kill 1000 enemies Fourthly they must not abuse the conquered captive detracting from him and taking arrogantly to themselues that which doth not become them This did cruell Adonibezeck who cut off the Thumbes of 70 Kings and made them gather their meate under his table like Doggs So Tigranes King of Armenia caused four Kings to waite on his table Sesostris had his chariot drawen with Kings and Tamarlan carried Bajazet about with him in an iron cage That dishonorable hatefull contempt done upon the supposed body of Iames the fourth found dead as they said in the field of Floudon was both voide of generositie humanitie but because he tooke Armes against Iulius the second his usage could not be bad enough Yea Thomas Howard Earle of Surry Commander of the field being puft up with the glory of the day forgot his distance excedingly in the adding to his Armes for where before he gaue the white Lyon he gaue it then upon the red Lyon tearing him as it were with his clawes Rer. Scoticar lih 13. pag. 422. But this his insolencie is thought to haue been plagued in his posteritie whose ends for the most part and that in both sexes were stigmatized with some note of disgrace Borbon and Lanoy carried themselues more noblie toward Francis King of France being taken at the battle of Pavia for supper being prepared Lanoy and Alphonsus Vastius did serve the King with Bason and Ewer both they and Borbon could hardly be intreated to sit downe Bartholomeus Chasaneus in Catalog gloriae mūdi Pars 9.19 Consid in fine but still they desired to attend him at supper The like or greater generositie was showen by Prince Edward the mirror of man-hood towards King Iohn his captive before whom he stood uncovered and would hardly be intreated to sit down at supper Fiftly and lastly they are to keepe quarters with captives being taken For to cast off prisoners and put them to the sword is against the lawes of Armes though Turkes and Papists make no bones of this amongst the rest of their cruelties yet far be it from any so to doe that professeth Christ truely And thus much for the conquerors carriage towards the conquered Amongst many motives that I might giue for this moderation take onely this that the conquerour sometimes may come to stand in neede of the conquered who as they will remember moderate usage and repay it with good so they will requite tyranny with evill Historians tell us how the Lacedemonians the great Masters of Armes through all the world having so great an overthrouw at the battle of Luctris that they were forsaken of all their confederates and had no refuge but to betake themselues to the Athenians against whom they had warred and whose Walls they had raysed yet for all this they received them very lovingly The fourth main thing followeth how to demeane themselues in the use of the goods or possessions of the conquered It is true that the spoyle is theirs but the good creatures of God they must not spoile The Lord giveth a strait charge against this in Deut when thou shalt lay siedge to a cittie and take it thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof and thou shalt not cut them down onely that which is not for meate thou mayest cut downe By this prohibition God restrayneth the waste and spoyl which souldiers usually make in warre and teacheth them thereby that there is a kind of mercy to be manifested toward the creatures specially those that serve for the maintenance of mans life This respect had Christ to the creatures when he caused his disciples to take up the broken meate after the people had eaten and were filled that nothing should be lost It is reported of the Danes Io. 6.12 that with such crueltie and outrage they made havocke of all where they came that they seemed not so much to conquer the land as to consume it not so much to possesse it as to race out the remembrance of it Now I come to the last main thing required in the conqueror namely his carriage towards his own That Generall will never deale well with his enemies nor get glory to himselfe that dealeth evill with his owne As they haue bought the victory with their bloud and the hazard of their lives Salustais Tacitus Livius Amain Polyb. their is no reason but they should be both commended and rewarded It was the custome of the chiefe Commander as all our ancient writers do record after the victorie to go up to some pulpit and there with a solemne oration to commend the souldiers according to every mans place worth and present service neither was that enough barely to commend or giue thē thanks but with their prayse they distributed divers gifts Is it equitie or conscience that all should fight and one or a few carry a way the spoyle David was of a more equall mind who did not onely willingly divide the spoile of the Amalekits to those that were in the fight but also gaue the 200 weake and wearyed ones a share that stayed by the stuffe and that was made a statute and an ordinance for Israell as his part is that goeth to the battle 1. Sam. 30.24 so shall his part be that tarryeth by the stuffe neither was there any wrong done to those wicked men who grudged at it for first they wanted not will but power to goe to the battle Secondly they stayed by the stuffe to keep it as necessary a peece of service as to fight and that with as great danger as those that fought if they had been overcome And lastly they had but a Geometricall share not an Arithmeticall or equall with the other The like
his great show of zeal and ostentation of uprightnesse of heart in the execution of it Come see saith he to Iehonadab my zeale for the Lord but selfe-respect marred all for he wrought for himselfe and not for God he looked more at the Kingdom then Gods command and therfore he who saw the thoughts and hollownesse of his heart requites him in his kind Hee avenged the bloud of â—ezrel upon the house of Iehu Hos 1.4 They who now and then can affoord their hand and tongue to lend Gods cause a lift for their own advantage will discover themselues when their own ends are served yea God will uncase them walk as closely as they can As I often cast mine eyes upon the over-clowded estate or defaced beauty of the Scottish Church I was occasioned to call to mind the prompt indeavour of the great Ones to ruin Babel and to rear up Ierusalem It was a good work indeed if it were well done but as they made the Ministers coat too short their own too side so I fear that the sweetness that they found in Gods bread as one called it and Babels spoyles made them stand so stoutly to it but these being raked out of their budgets by the long-necked-crains that are come from the Egiptian-lake the most of them looks upon the cause now as though they had lost their purses And last of all to giue a touch upon our English Plantators in Virginia I advise them especially to examine the ends and the means for all knows the issue is worse and worse and like to proue starke naughts therfore both the end and the means stands need of rectifying The Lord himselfe giveth a good direction to this same effect that such as had planted vinyards and maried wiues they should not goe to War the reason is given because the thougths and cares of these things should not intangle them and hinder them from fighting of the Lords battells in the field by leaving their hearts at home 2 Tim. 2.4 No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him for a souldier As the speciall end of War is peace Bellum ita sustipiatur ut nihil aliud nisi pax quaesita videatur l. 1. Offi. Deâ—ertanduÌ„ manu est Ibid. so as Tully saith War must be so taken in hand that it may appeare that nothing is so much sought for as peace It is true as the same Author hath it when necessitie requireth as I said that men must fight and prefer death it selfe to slavery or basenesse And this was the end and ayme I am perswaded of his Majestie to preserve in peace the people of God and the practise of religion as appeareth both by his declaration and his omitting to take his enemies at advantage in the beginning for which they haue given him a cruell requitall yet as his ground was good so his end was good Let them talk of peace what they will they haue no such end except they giue all the conditions and then that peace is no better then slavery Look but to the Spanish practise Is he not like a Moule once in never out if he can chuse And if the fox be unkennelled he leaveth ever an evill smell behind him yea and litters of cobs that pesters the Nation or he is like the winding-Ivye which sheweth a naturall appetite to help it selfe by cleaving to other things but it undoes all other things wherunto it cleaveth Great Brittain had best look to her Vine Private gain and by-respect was one of the three Romish plagues I pray God rid our land of it Thus far I haue ingaged my poor labours in the troublesome warr of this present time desiring God who sitteth aboue as Iudge and Moderator of all mens actions and seeth and heares the teares and prayers of his distressed people that he would awake us all to repentance finish the afflictions of his children and fling the rod in the fire AMEN Errata LET me intreat thee â—ourreous Reader to bear with errours from the presse as some literall faults defects of Accents or Points misplacing or wanting of a word Three Greek words in the Margine hath likewise faults in them In the Epistle to the Reader pag. 2. line 1. for treatise reade this treatise Pag. 49 Marg. for alumoniam reade alimoniam Ibid. for virtus reade victus pag. 87 l. ult for that like r. that it is like pag. 159 l. 13 for ebary r. chair pag. 186. l 20 for for r. far Ibid. l. 32 for 1180 r. 11800 pag. 208. l. 18 for the better r. to the better FINIS