succession or election the peoples desires so concurred with his right as that he tooke possession by both And it seemes had not God and Nature designed him to the chayre by a fayre lyneall pedigree he might haue beene ours by choice if among foreigne Kinges wee had chose His governement since hath beene only vnhappy in this that he hath over-loved peace which is the happinesse of all states but hath beene our affliction It may bee because God himselfe will haue no peace with the wicked Es 48. 22. much lesse permit his servants to haue it God and Baal cannot dwell together Or it may bee because we crost the will of God with humane wisdome and would needes haue peace when he cald vs to warre Or it may bee that wee sought for that happinesse here which is reserved for the saints here-after to liue in peace within the militant Church as the saints doe in the triumphant These some or all of them may be a cause why that blessing of peace is turned to a curse to weaken vs which makes others stronger to impoverish vs which makes others richer to devid vs which vnites others for woes wants and warres abound by this meanes because wee haue not first made our peace with God but rather with the Enemyes of his truth and honour And to justify my conjecture this last act declares it clearely For whereas it hath beene pursued with all the heate of affection managed with all the wisdome of flesh and blood secrecy vsed in the conveyance and the whole mystery wrought by the handes of most artificiall and able instruments and seconded with all the advantages both sides could wish Yet God hath broken the threefold corde a sunder and turned all thinges to a cleane contrary course as he did when out of darkenes he brought light out of the rock water This is the Lords doeing and it is merveylous in our eyes What injuryes and wronges his Majesty hath received in his children state subjects substance and honor by this meanes the world knowâ—s but too well and God surely would haue the enemy to do it and his Majesty to suffer it that being now exasperated he might revenge Gods cause with his owne and for it reape honor to God and to himselfe The more sincerely his Majesty hath dealt the more falsely they to let him see though there bee faith to be kept with Heretikes yet there is none to be giuen to them nor expected from them Princes are to vse plainesse and perspicuity with their subjects policy and reservednes with strangers Christ spake to the Iewes in parables but to his owne it was giueÌ„ to know the mystery of the Kingdome of God And now as if all before had not beene enough to provoke a peaceable Prince to a just warre behold what God hath permitted these fyre brands and boutefewes of Christendome to attempt by accusing the Prince the Duke and whole state of Treason Was there ever such a practise jmagined of what do they presume that dare be thus bolde impudent impious Is it of their owne power Noe assuredly for they are in ours whilst they doe it Is it of their party here able to back them and beare them out of our patience to suffer them whatsoever they doe or proclivenes to credit them whatsoever they say I know not whether they build vpon these or other groundes of this I am sure the plot equalls or exceede's the Gunpowder treason because although that aymed at the lives of all yet it did not touch their honors this ayme's at life and honor of the best yea of all to set father against the sonne the sovereigne against his subjects one hand against another And to what end that they in the meane time may distract affavres hinder resolutions withdraw hearts and hands from succouring the Kinges children and freinds ready to perish by their Tyrannyes that they may arme their owne pernicious faction with pretence to be a guarde for the Kings person and soe since they cannot rayse a rebellion and devide the Prince and people that their Armyes may enter to stickle betwixt them as they indeavored in Spayne now they would devide the father and the sonne and cleaue this knot by a wedge of the same wood I meane by the Hispaniolized and Romanized natures in England Since this by Gods grace hath fayled I know not to what they can proceede except it be to accuse the King himselfe which they will not fayle to doe if it may fit their turne vnlesse his Majesty do justice vpon them and make an honorable president for all posterity that Ambassadours presume not to doe what their Masters dare not and for which even Kinges themselues being in foreigne Provinces were liable to accounte Wee read how zealous David was in redeeming the honor of his owne Ambassadours 2 Sa. 10. 4 because they were innocent and revenging these indignityes offered to them vnworthily Had they merrited evill he would never haue protected them but doing their dutyes his honor was ingaged in them for them And if he did thus for a few of his servants what would he haue done for all his servants yea for all his subjects 2 Sam. 24 17. for whose safety he offers his life Nay what would he haue done for them and for his sonne his only sonne with them Even the same I hope that his most excellent Majesty will doe for his servants his subjects his sonne Now therefore to close this wandring discourse mighty Sovereigne since by thy servant by thy sonne by thy selfe mouth to mouth thou hast revealed thy fore-past actions and passions and present intents towards vs and wee with all the world are witnesses of thy integrity draw thy sword and cut assunder this Gordions knot which all thy wisedome cannot vnty And as that painter by casting his pensile in a rage from him made by chance such a fome for a mad Dog as he could not otherwise light vpon by art industry so God may blesse thy hand that going boldely on whilst he call's thee and leade's thee and following him in simplicity and truth without reliance trust or dependancy vpon the security of thy owne head or arme thou mayest happily ariue at that period thou wouldest bee at and force that restitution and peace which thou canst neither beg nor buy There is nothing to feare but the Iesuits hand let thy hand therefore fright them and their adhaerents farre from thee out of thy Dominions Hee that stands vpon simple defense stands but halfe armed nor altogether soe but he that stands to offende doth by that posture stand ready for all assayes both guarding himselfe putting him to his guard who like Ishmaël hath his hand against every man Behold how thou art incircled with myriads of subjects and millions of Saints Angells God sends these to defend thee and secure thy doubts Looke vpon the Prince thy blessed Sonne the Queene of Bohemis thy
as by the law and order of nature was Davids superiour and might command him Gen. 49. 3 Prior in donis major in imperio For not only the first male that openeth the wombe was sanctifyed to God as his parte to be a perpetuall type and figure of Christ our King and Governour till he came in the flesh But also amongst all Nations the rule of a famil or countrey was confer'd vpon the eldest Vntill there were Kings they were in stead of such and when there were Kings either they were chosen out of these or these were their substitutes in such familyes and places where they resided Now Ishai being a very olde man and noted for such in the dayes of Saul as wee see at the 12. verse of this Chapter the care both of house holde goverment and of stocke must rest vpon the eldest sonne the heire of all who as a parent might challenge rule over his youngest brother require a just accompt of him for his sheepe which he might well suspect were negligently left in the wildernes without a keeper through the wyldnes vanity of his younger brother And therefore David doth not answer him as Cain answers God Gen 4. Am I my brothers keeper what haue you to doe with me am I your shepheard as divers Yonckers would now answer their elders But he replye's with a tarte kinde of mildnes giuing at once a testimony of the loue he beare's his brothers person how much he regard's his admonition as also making an Apologie for him selfe glauncing at his brothers prejudice and partiality who would not see the apparant cause at this time enforcing his forwardnes Therefore he send 's him home to beholde the beame in his owne eye saying What haue I now done Is their not a cause And this shall serue for the persons come wee now to the occasion of this discourse 3. The Occasion The occasion of this discourse and argument held betwixt David and his elder brother was this The Army of Israell and the Army of the Philistins having lyen longe in the feilde and Ishai having in the Army three of his Sonnes following Saul the olde man longing to heare how they did and desirous to send them some fresh victualls to releiue them as also to procure for them the favour of their Captayne send David to visite them to redeeme their pledge and to salute their Captayne with a present of ten fresh cheeses v. 17. 18. He comming early to the Campe finde's both the Armyes set in array ready to joyne in fight and withall heares a great shout such as they vse to giue at the first onset The young man bring hardy though litle and desirous to be one in the number that should fight for his Country and religion and ashamed to looke on and giue ayme whylst others vnderwent the hazarde heate of the day leaue's the things which he brought with the wagon-maister and made all the hasthe coulde to reach the armye before they reached each other Comming thither he finds things in great distraction by reason of Goliah a mighty Champion of the Philistins who stood boasting against the whole armye of Israell challendging and desyring an able and equal Opposite to be sent out to him To this Bravado he adds blasphemy agaynst God and dishonour and disgrace to the King He beholde's the pride and insolency of the heathenish army out of the confidence they had in their vnmatchable Champion and withall he see 's the base feare and cowardise of his owne Nation whose courage was quenched with the brauery of one man How then thinks he it is likelie that they should stand agaynst many agaynst all To behold this his hart burnes within him Zeale to God allegeance to his prince loue and dutye to his Country make's him inquisitiue what this shoulde meane how it shoulde happen that soe many shoulde be a frayde of one or that one shoulde dare to affront so many Thus at length his priuate thoughts breake 's forth into wordes What sayth he to the standers by who gaped gazed vppon the Gyant and fled at his words at his sight as men frighted and out of their witts what shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistim and taketh away the shame from Israell They answer to him that killeth him the King will giue great riches and will giue his daughter yea make his fathers house free in Israell Perhaps these promises were the immaginations pratlings of the people the vnderhand whisperings of policye to stirre vp some mans courage to vndertake the combat For we neither heare these things publiquely proclyamed nor repeated and promised when David came to speake with Saule and went about his worke with this approbation nor chalenged after whē David had performed what he vndertooke and had slayne Goliah Howsoever his elder brother who obserue's his behauiour narrowly overbeare's his discourse how he like an able Champion speake's and questions as one that meant to vndertake the matter and either out of contempt of his brothers youth or out of envy least the yonger shoulde wyn prayse from the elder or out of loue and care of his yonger brother knowing his forwardnes but withall his weakenes and in sufficiencye for such a busines with such an enemy whose match the whole hoast afforded not check's him restrayne's him from this rash vndertaking by presenting his youth his trade his other busines to his remembrance why camest thou downe hither sayth he with whome hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernes I know thy priae and the malice of thy harte that thou art come downe to see the battell To whom David replied in serious and sad manner what haue I now done Is there not a cause Thus much for the occasion of this discourse The fourth thing considerable is the speech it selfe wherein obserue The manner of deliuery The matter deliuereed For the manner of deliuery David reply'es not positiuely but by way of question or expostulation as men that deale with envious cavillers vse to doe and as our saviour dealt with the high Preists and Scribes and Elders continually for indeede this manner of speech is of more force then a bare affirmation I◠argue's a litle more life and spirit it stirre's the bloud of the speaker and alter's the sleepy disposition of him that opposeth as water cast in a mans face rayseth from a swound If he had sayde brother I hope I haue done nothing but what I ought to doe that which I haue a iust cause to doe Though he had then spoken as much as now he doeth in effect yet his speech had lost much of the grace spirit and vigor it hath As pictures though well proportioned if they want their proper and naturall shadowing be not well set off loose much of their bewty and delight not a curious beholder So words where they are not exprest with alacrity and fervor of mynde fall flatt
lye dead and worke not vpon the affections There might then haue beene a doubtfull disputation of the fact and cause and much might haue bene alleaged too and fro whether he had done well or noe in comming to the feilde in leauing his sheepe in questioning about this quarell as if he ment to intrude him selfe for a party And with the inequallity of his strength to hazard the honor of the whole Army But speaking thus quickly and resolutely by way of interrogation saying What haue I now done is their not a cause Hee by this question putt's all out of question and driue's his brother to see Sect. confess that ther is a cause And me thinke's I see the bloud startle in his face the ruddy youth lookes redder then he had wont that Zeale which afterwards eate vp his hart appeares in his countenance and at length though he purposed to keepe silence his tongue brake loose into these or the like words O Brother is there not an apparant cause requiring mine and yours and all our attentions Is it not past deniall past colouring almost past remeay Truly I admire how you and the rest of these valiant and able men and profest souldiers can so long looke on and heare see the name of God blasphemed and your King scorned and your whole Nation challendged braued and dishonoured with patience I wonder that you being my elder brother doe not leade me one by example and incorage me with applause in this high honorable and holy vndertaking rather then restrayne me by your coldnes and quench my Zeale by your vnseasonable vpbraydings I wonder any man should not be ashamed to reprehende my forwardnes Nay I wonder all of you are so backward when such necessity requires the expression of yours best abillityes It is not seasonable discretion but dulnes and doâ—tishnes that pul's vs back from timely action neither is that temper which can heare and see these things with silence the sober vertue of a man which wee terme PATIENCE But the cowardice or senceles and slothfull stupidttie of an Asse A poyson mistaken for a preservatiue a vice for a vertue Israell had wont to haue Iosuahs and Gedions and Baruchâ—s and Iepthae's and Sampsons who coulde sright a whole hoast of these vncircumsised Philistims Israell had a Deborah who though a wooman had courage enough to daunt a whole Armye of Infidels O then what a shame is it that the King amougest all this multituae should finde never a man to stand betweene him and reproach to hazard his life for th honor of his Prince O what a shame is it that amongest all these brethren of one father of the flesh one father of the faith Abraham there is not one that dare ingage his life for the redeeming of all O what a shame is this that whilst wee call our selues the people of God and say wee alone professe the true religion and serve the true God truly there is not one member in the whole boay that dare present it selfe to stopp the mouth of this blasphemous and vncircumcised Philistine or honor himselfe his family by his endeavour to doe iâ— though with the losse of his owne life After such a manner me thinke's this worthy seemes to expostutate the case with his brother and to wring from him by a kinde of loving violence a confession of the truth of all this discourse he see 's now the necessitye of the case the vertue of his brother and soe David leaue's him to veiwe his owne error to see his owne shame by a silent reflection One valiant man Sect. by his example putts spirit into a thousand as lampes light each other and many Cowards met in a heape infect the whole crowde and by their secure sensuall arguments begett a senslesnes of honour in the harts of their next neighbours The customary beating of a Lyons whelpe make's him as tame as a Lambe and persons naturally valiant may be made artificiall cowards by being brought vp vnder the rodd and taught to swallow base and grosse inuryes without chewing Thus the slaues of Sparta rebelling agaynst their masters and being encountred with bastinadoe's in stead of swords lost that courage which made them take armes and like true slaues submitted themselues to their olde bondage Such mindes feare not the cryme but the punishment and thinke that there is nothing dishonorable but that which disturbe's their priuate peace and that slothfull security wherevnto they are accustomed from youth I cannot but thinke there were valiant men in this Armye It is a great part of valour in a Prince to gather an army Some tyrants dare not trust their owne guard or suffer an assembly of their owne subjects to meet These are possest with such a timorous spirit as the English Poet discribe's Feare ' himselfe to bee whome he bringes in flying away from himselfe whilst no man pursuse's him and affrayde of the clashing of his owne armour Insomuch as that which should keepe him from feare is the cause of his feare But Saule was soe farr from such base pusillanimity of spirit as he was personally present in this Campe and had before giuen proofe of his valour agaynst the Philistims by single opposition Agayne it is probable that Ionathan was in the Campe with diuers other Worthies of whose valour there was no question I am sure Davids three bretthren were there all likely to be valiant men soe that it is wonderfull that none of these offered themselves to the combat in this quarrell But perhaps one discouraged an other and the backwardnes of some dishartned others and some out of vnseasonable modesty woulde not offer themselues least they should bee thought proude or ambitious or the like poore spirits that will be frighted from good purposes by the scoffes jest's and reproches of sluggards and cowards who dare doe nothing but censure good mens actions and call their owne basenes and trechery loyall discretion Or Tydeus corpore animo Hercules lastly God tooke away there harts and infused a double spirit into David that his power might be seene in weaknes and how he is able to overthrowe the proudest adversarye by babes and sucklings even with weake meanes or without meanes or by contrary meanes David therefore beholding all this with sorrow and seeing such a generall disposition in the whole army to faynt and fly rather then to fight or as beasts are in droues driuen to be butchered when being single and out of the crowde they woulde breake loose he awaken's the sleepy courage of his brother and the rest with this quick expostulation what haue I now done Is there not a cause From the Manner of speaking wee descend to the Matter or subject of Davids speech which in fewe but weightye words containe's the motiue or impulsiue cause of his famous attempt atcheiuement following immediatly after For whilst he sayth Is their not a cause he take'es the cause as
graunted and evident enough Let vs then labour to finde it out for all actions and soe this are warrantable or wicked as they haue an evident cause to justifie or condemne them CAVSES are either ordinary or extraordinary Those which we call ordinary are all second causes which are readie at hande lying open to the eye of vulgar observation and proceeding by a legall common course of Nature Extraordinarie causes are either wholy hid or farther remooved so that they are not seene at all or at least not by all The highest among'st ordinarie causes for wee speake of that spheare wherein the rule of man is wholy busied and taken vp is the sovereigne or supreame Power and all other powers subordinate to it This hath conveniency and vtility as the most proper end of it's operation and ayme For though it be convenient profitable to haue such subordinate power setled yet it is not of absolute necessity that wee haue them Extraordinary causes in this classe or forme haue Necessity for their proper and direct ende and begin onely to worke when there is defect of operation in the ordinary causes as Physick is administred to helpe decayed nature and expell malignant humor Thus when Saul the supreamest amongst ordinary causes in the common wealth of Israell is slack in his office God rayseth vp David to quicken his zeale and when Ely growes olde and negligent and through indulgence suffers his sonnes to abuse their office God rayseth vp Samuel to provoke him to more dilligence And thus at all tymes in defect of ordinary pastors God hath raysed vp prophets to teach his people and to publish his judgements openly and playnely It is as I haue before noted very-vncertayn whether such promises were ever propounded on no by the King because wee never see them repeated challenged or performed by Saule to David after the worke wrougt though with the perill of their owne liues If any man object therfore that the reward propounded by the King ver 25. was the principall cause that excited David to vndertake this quarrell I doubt not to say they are much deceiued For though intisements to vertue and indowments for vertue doe well and though men come seldome to the markett where nothing but bloud and blowes are to be bought and solde yet true fortitude is not mercenary nor coulde all those words make our worthy dip his finger in bloud by vndertaking a single combat except a greater necessity call him forth then prayse or profitt or pleasure or preferment It must not be an ordinary but extraordinary cause therefore that moue's this extraordinary person and what other thing coulde that be then the present daunger wherein he beheld the church and state involved together with the desperate ingagement of the King and Kingdomes honor Hee see 's all these in hazard to receiue either a totall overthrowe or at least a violent and vnrecoverable blowe by this Blasphemer For will it not stagger true beleeuers when they see the enemy braue God as it were to his face and goe away vnpunished The wicked then encourage themselues in infidelity and with open mouth deride and discreditt the former miracles of God soe much spoken of For if God doth not every day create new worlds or confound olde enemyes or produce new miracles man will not beleeue that ever he made the world or confounded the rebellious race of idolatrbus Gyants or ever did a miracle or perhaps scarce thinke there is a God to doe such thinges At least that he is not the true God except he marcheth away with the conquerour For prosperity and externall glory so bewicheth and dazeleth the eyes and judgements of mortall men as they cannot suspect guilded falshood nor embrace ragged truth And therefore Rabshakeh comming agaynst Ierusalem by the commaunde of Sanacherib King of Ashur elevated with his former victories crye's out with an open and jmpudent mouth and demaunds of the Israelites wherein they trust and put confidence that they doe not presently render themselues to the mercy of his Master where sayth he is the God of Hamah and of Arpad where is the God of Sepharuaim or how haue they deliuered Samaria out of my hands whoe is he among all the Gods of these lands that hath deliuered their Country out of my hand that the Lord should deliver Ierusalem out of my hands The text sayth the Blasphemer receiued no answere till God stopt his mouth with a miracle For all then and there were colde benumde and silent as persons decayed in spirit and fitted for that defection and forreigne Captiuity and subjection which not long after followed But our Champions heart burne's more hott in this place with zeale and indignation to see and heare the boasting and blaspheming enemy rayle agaynst the God of Israell of whose loue and power David had large experience and whose name by way of thankfulnes he had extraordinary cause to defend from dishonor whilst he had power make 's him begin the onsett as it were to this conquest by conquering his priuate feares his brothers frownes and the cavelling exceptions of all other envious beholders with this bolde and braue demaund what haue I now done Is there not a cause And thus much of the cause or matter here mentioned to shew that it was a cause of necessity which compeld ' his vndertaking for Is there not a cause hauing reference to nothing els then to the publique perill and common calamity of the church and state threatned by this idolatrous Champion Which is a cause more then sufficient to compell him that is a true member of the mysticall body of Christ to shew his Spirituall life by strugling for the generall liberty The conclusions therefore from hence deduced are these following CONCLVSION 1. First there must bee an apparant cause of necessitie to justify every extraordinary action or vndertaking performed by a priuate person APriuate Person is hee that hath noe direct or publique calling to the action he vndertake's In which sense a publique person in one kind may be a priuate person in an other respect Aron is a publique person to sacrifice but not to rule and Vzziah is a publique person to gouerne but not to sacrifice A magistrate is a publique person but not for all actions for if he take vpon him to administer the Sacraments he therein becomes a priuate person Nay when he doeth any acte of Iustice without a Law he then laye's by the prerogatiue and dignity of a publique person and acts the parte of a priuate man Because the lawe is the instrument sword of the publique magistrate without which to strike is to Tyrannize and without which to converse in any puplique busines is to become priuate Thus wee see Mayors other subordinate officers who are shadowes types of the supreame goeing abroad without their Swords Maces the ensignes of their offices become priuate for the present time till they assume those types
to this end did they write and propound these examples to our imitation nor can wee choose but reverence their antiquity though wee doe not Canonize their verity Iudith another woman in case of necessity for preservation of her Country and Religion hauing before given testimony of her Chastitie Modesty Charity Contentment in a retyred course of life as if now shee had layd by or forgot all these and become vpon a suddayne wanton and loose and merciles and monstrous vndertaks a worke which makes men tremble Whilst they thinke vpon it and shews how strong God is in weake instruments when he begins to worke Good old Tobit in case of necessity buryes his bretheren though with the hazard of his owne life and estate he is banished for this but the same God that set's him to worke raises him freinds at Court to helpe and restore him Archiacharus beg's his goods which were confiscated and his life which was forfeited for this pious offence and rectore's them vnto him Yet being restored he doth not therefore cease doing good in time of necessity for feare of the penalty threatned and formerly inflicted nor can his mocking neighbors fright him from his duty but he reiterate's the same charitable and holy transgression againe and againe whilest if any man reprâ—hends him for it he can say with David What haue I now done Is their not a cause In necessity rather then chastity shal be condemned by injustice because she would not bee deflowred by lust God stirs vp the spirit of young Daniell without an ordinary calling to coÌ„demne them that were ordinary Iudges and to cleare the innocent from imminent danger For wheresoever I haue an occasion offered me by God to doe good I haue a calling and command from him to doe it In necessity Mathias withstand's such as sacrifice contrary to the law and whilst the vsurping King commaunds the doeing of it he kill 's the person that presumes to doe it And for this is parralelde with zealous Phineas whose like act of necessary yet extraordinary justice without an ordinary calling or warrant on the behalfe of God and the truth was so farre from finne and shame as it was counted vnto him for righteousnes vnto all generations for evermore and is stiled by the Psalmist according as the septuagint expounded it a prayer of peace a sweet smelling sacrifice of attonement which caused the consuming pestilence to cease To speake of Prophets both ordinary extraordinary after all these who haue done the like in their kind as Ieremiah Micheas Esay Daniell Amos with otthers were but to proue what nothing but tyannous custome dare's and nothing but invicible ignorance or villanous Atheisme will deny Objection or call into doubt But if any shall say these are no presidents to follow because they were extraordinary I answer Answer therefore they are to be followed because they are extraordinary For their examples fitt extraordinary times and occasions best And yet what action is done but a man might say as much of it if that were enough to make it lye dead and vseles But who can know whether an other man hath the same extraordinary mover or noe where the same cause present's it selfe verely none but the person himselfe who hath the testimony of his owne conscience to acquitt or condemne him other men judging by the naked fact or badd successe may mis-judge and condemne a worke for wicked which proceede's perhap's from the good spirit of God And this must neede 's be true except wee thought the spirit of God that spake by the Prophets speake's not now to Gods people in the Church but that Oh blasphemy God were now growen olde and become blinde or deafe or dumbe or forgott himselfe and his poore afflicted flock Breifly whilst some will not beleeue God when hespeakes and workes by extraordinary meanes and others will not beleeue him except he soe speake's and worke 's wee are come to that passe that wee see not our tokens neither will wee heare others admonishing vs nor doe what wee ought without admonition nor suffer any man to speake or doe worthily without an vnworthy censure To conclude this point though the actions of all these men before recited might be called in question as many of them were by a cavilling and envious enemy and some of them challendged of partiality others of singularity of popularity presumption pride disobedience irregularity treachery or the like So that none shoulde escape vncontroled yet they all passe currant in the Church vnder the generall warrant of Necessity and may all stand vp with these words of David in this place what haue wee now done Is their not a cause Such a cause there was as if Abraham had not fought he had bene registred for lack of good nature for lacke of courage for lack of zeale in his frends case in the states in Gods And as this Father of the faithfull so should all that succeede him aswell in religion as greatnes and goodnes of minde haue vndergone censure in their perticulars for omission as now they haue by their worthes attayned the favour of God and men For in the case of necessity God himselfe dispenseth with his written law Because the law of Nature which he hath written in every mans hart Gâ— 38. 26. Exod. 17. 20. 21. Iud. 3. 15. subjects him thervnto So that it excuseth or at least extenuateth in some sorte the incest of Thamar the disobedience of the Midwiues the cruelty of Ehud Iael 1 Sa. 19. 2. Pro. 6. 30. Tho Aqu 22. q. 62. st 5. 4. the falshood of Ionathan bewraying the Councell of his Father his King insomuch as Salomon saith men dispise not a theefe that steales for necessity Yea in case of necessity it shall be lawfull to breake the Sabboth and to eate the shew-breud to dispose of the holy vessells to omit circumcision For a woman to circumcise and all this without blame whilst all of them haue this Buckler of Davids to defend themselves from obloquie What haue I now done Is their not a cause Vbi vrget necessitas excusabilis est dispensatio vbi vtilitas provocat laudablis est vtilitas inquam communis non propria Neither is this a Paradoxe in divinity nor yet a thing practised only amongest the Iewes but a law vniversall both of nature nations So that wheresoever wee shall finde man wee shall finde the footstepps of this practise And the more noble the nation is the more frequent the examples The Grecians and Romanes shall suffice and some few amongest them Codrus King of Athens vnderstanding by the oracle the benefit his Kingdome should receiue by his losse and the losse it should haue by his life disguised himselfe and provoked an enemy with harde words and then exposed himselfe voluntarily to his enraged and suddaine revenge that so by his singuler daunger and death he might procure the generall good of all Mutius Scevola for his countrey
Thou shouldst haue done this quoth Augustus without my privity now to doe it would not become Some services are only acceptable when they are acted they are first to be done and then are wee to aske leaue for doeing of them when the apparant necessity may pleade our pardon Henry the eight concluded peace with France vpon these conditions that the King of France shoulde pay him a certaine summe of money vpon payment whereof he should restore Bolloigne to the French and in the meane time all things were to stand as then they stood without alteration Presently after Chatilion Captaine of Mountpeaisier begun to rayse a Bastilion which might annoy and endaunger Bolloigne this being obserued by the Lord Grey then Governour of Bolloigne who saw the intent of the enemy how vpon advantage of the commissioners â—versight in composing the articles of agreement great disadvantage might befall the Kings towne and a ready way be made for the enemy to enter by fraud without money which he could not otherwise enter by force without payment of a great summe agreed on He with his troopes fell vpon the enemyes workes and razed it to the ground and this was accounted good service being once done though against the articles because necessity vrged it to repayre an oversight when if he had stayd for commission or sought one to warrant his worke he might haue bene prevented in the worke and that would never haue bene graunted by publique warrant which he sought and so on all sides he should haue beene blamed I know some write that he had warrant vnderhand brought him by worde of mouth by Sir Tho Palmer let this be graunted yet by the King as King that is with his councells consent and by publique instrument he was not only not warranted to doe it but prohibited from doeing it which yet being done was accounted the best peece of service that ever he did Heare the Lord de la Nâ—ve to this purpose in an other passage Solon sayd that in a division a good citizen ought not to stand still but to take the better part in respect of his Band to the Common-wealth But say saith he our Country were not devided but overthrowne Say it were not in perill only to be but almost alltogether lost Should wee in the midst of so great disorders thinke it wisdome and allegiance and piety to sitt with our armes crosse-folded till our throats be cut our lawes religion and state altred when reason bids vs throwe them abroad and bestirre vs nimbly for the suddayne safegaurd and rescue of all shall I meet with Incendiaries who see to set the Countrey one fier and not stopp them but stay for a commision shall the Father of a Family be seene madly to 〈◊〉 his owne house over his eares and kill himselfe whilst the wife children and servants obediently looke on and weepe but dare not offer to hinder it shall it be sinne in them to stay him from such a foule fact to hollde his hands to desire him to be better advised to cast on water I think none will be so madde as once to affirme it Then doubtles our combatant David may kill Goliah an enemy of God and the state though Saul send 's not for him and might after the fact justify himselfe with this speech of his to his brother What haue I now done Is their not a cause CONCLVSION 3. A third Conclusion from hence deduced is that negligence in a case of Necessity that is where the safety of our Prince or our Country or our Religion is in daunger argue's the negligent of cowardice luke-warmenes slavery or treachery AS before wee haue seene the care on member hath of an other in mutuall love a kinde of commutatiue justice so wee may behold how all the members apply themselues especially for the safeguard of the most principall members Insomuch at if the head or heart be aymed at the hand enterposeth it selfe to defend these parts and rather receiue's the wound it selfe then suffers the blowe to touch them In extrema necessitate magis licet de serere filios quam parentes quos nullo modo deserere licet propter be neficia Th Aqua 22. q. 31. A. 34. m. The reason is because the conservation of the whole body consisteth in the vitall noble and principall parts so that if through the eyes defect any mischaunce happen's to it self or to any part of the body especially to the head or to the heart it shall not be blamed alone but the eare and every member shall pertake both of the shame and detryment Because it is judged not a perticular but a generall neglect since if all had not bene equally negligent the vigillancy of some one had giuen warning to the rest and soe the daunger had bene avoyded Bodyes pollitique are best seene in bodyes naturall and what is here orderly cannot be there absurde Cicero is a member a servaunt a childe of the Common-wealth yet is he truly what he is called the father of the Common-wealth The eldest of a family is by nature in place of a King to the rest Yet in case of necessity in age or sicknes or the like infirmity the youngest may both governe and provide for the elder as young Storcks feeding the olde and as gratious children novrishing and informing their decrepid and ignorant parents In defect of Kings Preists haue governed and in case of necessity Vzziah being remoued for leprosie Ionathan his sonn reignes in his stead Yea at such extraordinary times Women haue stept to the helme so carefull is nature so carefull is pollicy so carefull is grace for the preservation of the whole that they reject not the helpe of any nor trusts hazards the securing of all vpon one though that one seeme never so dilligent or able Which laudable custome to prevent generall inconvenience arising from perticular neglect of some speciall duty whereby the publique may be indangered they say the Cranes vse by naturall instinct For notwithstanding they haue one of their owne Company that keepe 's watch whilst all the rest sleepe yet that they may not seeme securely to hazard all vpon the dilligence and trust of one all that sleepe stand vpon one legge hold a stone in the other foote whose weight may keepe them waking at least make them perticulerly watchfull and wary against all feares and daungers whch may suddenly invade them in generall Soe in Armyes the Per-due giue 's notice to the Sentinell the Sentinell to the Corporall the Corporall to the Captaine ank court of guarde Who being too weake to resist the daunger giue 's alarum to the whole body Now if any surprise be made the fault is imputed as well to the Generall who perhaps notwithstanding ordered and commaunded all things well on his part as to the sleeping Sentinell whose personall neglect lost the liue's and honors of so many And therefore it concerne's all to be watchfull and to doe their best for the
publique service where the losse and daunger or benefit and honour befall's to all alike This is insinuated in the partition of the prey betwixt the souldier that fought Num. 31. 27. and the rest of Israell that stayde at home where though the greatest share befell the souldiar who indured the heat and hazard of the day yet all who stayde at home had thir parts and shares also in the prize or booty and none were excluded that all might be admonished thereby how they had share and common interest in the gayne or losse honour or dishonour of each other Rubenâ— and Gad and the halfe tribe of Manasses were seated vpon the neere side of Iordane toward the wildernes by the way of indulgence yet they were enjoyned to passe over armed to helpe their brethren in the conquest of their portions and not to returne till they were in posession and the church setled in peace For it is a shame for one member to looke on as senlelesse whilest the rest are in such jeopardy And therefore Iud. 5. 15. 16. 23. in that song which Deborah Barach sung after the victory wee heare of great thoughts of heart for the devisions of Ruben and wee heare this curse pronounced against pollitique or rather negligent Meroz who stood Neuter whilst religion was in question Curse yee Meroz saith the Angell of the Lord curse the inhabitants thereof because they came not to helpe the Lord against the mighty Doth God then stand in need of helpe doth the Almighty stand in neede of helpe against the mighty noe surely it were madnes to think soe But because God hath appointed meanes for the effecting of his worke here belowe therefore such as are faithfull offer themselues to his worke knowing it is his will they should doe soe and it is their honour so to be imployed in this service where a crowne of glory is layde vp for the workeman None then will stand Neuter in this case who are perswaded of the truth of Gods promises Such only who seeme indifferent or wholy withdraw themselues who doubt and waver in their faith or like fooles haue sayde in their hearts their is noe God For this cause the Edomits are called cruell and cursed by God because they stood on the otherside aloofe off looking on in the day Obad. 1â— that straungers carried away the substance of their yonger brother Iacob And Gideon after his victory over Zeba and Zalmunnua raced Succoth and Penvell which refused to victuall his army in their passage over or to assist him in those warres taught the inhabitants of those cittyes by bryars and thornes a sensible kinde of instruction what it is to become Neuters when the welfare of the Church and state is in question and how worthily whilst they will take part with neither side they become a prey to both sides It is a shame whil'st Heathens and Idolaters bynde themselues in strict leagues that Abraham and Lot should not helpe each other or that whilst Oreb and Zeb Zebah and Zalmunnah joyne in confederacy Succoth and Penvell shoulde not releiue Gideon Much more shame is it that whilst Turkes and Heathens and Idolatrous Papists stand together in one and haue their Catholique leauges to extirpate vs and the truth wee posesse which is and hath beene a maine prime and principall point in all their articles treatyes and transactions concluded betwixt them from the dayes of Charles the Fift to this present such as professe the true faith should for pollitique and worldly respects or perhaps without respect of policy or profit abandon their distressed neighbours and brethren Whatsoever such say in pretence of their backwardnes the true cause is either personall cowardice because they dare not provoke a false enemy nor trust a true God or lukewarmenes in religion because they are indifferent which side prevayle's so their bodyes and temporall estates be safe or slavery whilst they jmagine their is no other honour then to enjoy the vayne and beastly pleasures of this life for a season though vpon the basest conditions that can be â—â— trechery whilst either for golde or some other corrupt bayte which they haue swallowed the safety of Prince of state of religion is cast behinde their backs and they desire change as vermine that haue eaten rats-bane doe fresh water which they drinke till they bur'st with drinking Thus cunning practicioners haue learned their art of the Devill and doe so posesse and bewitch the hearts and eares of Princes as often the better the cause is the worse it is like to speede For they are able to cast aspercions vpon innocence her selfe and to palliate the fowlest cause with fayre and honest pretences So that men knew not well what part to take whilst it is hard to distinguish right and wronge a sunder If the cause be just as they vsually oppose such causes then they perplex it with other knots and questions of doubt If it be vnjust as they commonly take part with error then they lyne and interlay it with a mixture and florish of right that so the appearance of truth may beguile the eyes of the vnwary When such traytors as these beginn to worke they loue like spydars to make the whole webb out of their owne bosomes Neb. 6. 6. and when they entend most mischeife pretend all for the publique good and lay treason to the charge of all honest men whome either they see able or willing to stand in their way Yea with great care they advise Princes and Princes too often follow their advise to avoyde that Councell for wicked which may seene to discover the least part of their wickednes When Haman entende's to worke his maister to destroy the Iewes Hest 3. 8. that amongest them Mordocay might perish he pretends the Kings profit to be the grounde of his Councell It is not for the Kings profit saith he to suffer them Notwithstanding wee must not be discouraged with these encounters but prepare our selues to meet them with greater resolution If Sanballat and Tobiah conspire together to hinder the repayring of Ierusalem they pretende the Kings prerogatiue 〈◊〉 call all those rebels which stand for religiâ—â— This doeth not discourage Nehemiah Neh. 2. 19 but 〈◊〉 him to greater vigilancy Neh. 4. and more 〈◊〉 in the worke So that the people become â—ouldiars and artificers at once holding a swâ—â—de in one hand and a toole in the other Foâ—â—y such men and after such a manner must the temple of God be built and the temple of â—ntichrist pulde downe namely by those that are couragious and diligent And though Sanballat proceede's by plots and practises to hinder the worke and to rayse vp false Prophets like the Iesuits in all Christendome and the Arminians in the vnited Provinces to discourage the Prince and people and to distract and divide them yet resolute Nehemiah resisteth this temptation Nehâ—m â— and breake 's forth into these honorable and holy