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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	act_v	fight_v	great_a	21	3	2.1077	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34948	A serious expostulation with that party in Scotland, commonly known by the name of Whigs wherein is modestly and plainly laid open the inconsistency of their practices I. With the safety of humane society, II. With the nature of the Christian religion, III. Their two covenants are historically related, and prov'd to be no sufficient warrant for what they do, IV. Their new doctrine of a pretended forfeiture, is prov'd to be groundless.	Craufurd, James, 17th cent.	1682 (1682)	Wing C6865; ESTC R4965	39,666	64

barbarously all the Christians that they met with and made them thus Martyrs for the next best cause after Religion if it is not to be called a Part of it Now without doubt the many Edicts which Emperours past in Favor of the Christians were grounded chiefly upon such Considerations seeing upon strict Enquiry they had never found them engag'd in any Plots against the State and 't is particularly observ'd of Severus that the Kindness he shew'd to the Christians in the beginning of his Reign proceeded from a sense of their dutiful Carriage in difficult Times both towards himself and the former Emperours In fine the most inveterate Enemies of their Religion could not deny them this Testimony That in the sharpest Persecutions when they were only suffered to live to prolong their Torments when a simple Death not accompanied with those horrid Cruelties which were then practised past for no small Favour When the Streets were filled with the Carcasses of Martyrs and the Rivers dy'd with the most precious Blood of the Church they could never be tempted to rebel Nor was there truly any thing in which their Enemies did more industriously labour than through Despair to draw them into Rebellion that so they might have had the better Excuse to cut them off It grieved the Roman Emperours to employ their Axes and not their Swords and to give their Executioners so much Work while their Legions were idle and spill so much Blood with so little Reputation but Christians knew their Duty too well to give them any Advantage in this Point for the Renouncing their Religion or their Alledgiance were the only Things wherein they could never be brought to gratify their Princes It were easy to bring many Instances in Confirmation of what I say but I shall only pitch upon that famous History of the Thebean Legion which tho commonly known yet can never be either too much admired nor too often repeated All the Officers and Souldiers of this noble Legion haveing been converted to Christianity by Zambdas Bishop of Jerusalem during their Winter-Quarters in those Parts were in the heat of the Dioclesian Persecution sent from the East to reinforce the Army of Maximianus Herculeus in France and understanding upon their Arrival in the Imperial Camp that a new Military Oath was to be given them at an Heathen Altar purposely to pollute them with Idolatry the whole Legion did thereupon retire from the rest of the Army when Maximianus commanded them back Mauritius and Ex●perius the Chief Officers answer'd in the name of all that they were ready to return and fight against his Enemies but being Christians they could not offer Sacrifice to the Gods This Answer did so enrage the Emperour that he sentenced every tenth Man of the Legion to be put to death which was accordingly done none offering to make the least Resistance and when the same cruel Orders were renew'd Mauritius had so prepar'd them by Applauding their former Behaviour that they all answer'd They were Caesar's Souldiers that they had never brought upon themselves the imputation of Cowardise nor deserted their Colours that they were ready to obey the Emperour in every Thing but in offering Sacrifice to Idols and that their Bodies he might dispose of as he pleased only their Souls they reserved to Christ then Exuperius confirming them in their generous Resolution said That they did now engage in a new War and that they must not think to fight their Way to Heaven with their Swords Tell the Emperour says he that Despair it self shall not be able to engage us against him we have Arms but we will not resist because we are willing rather to suffer than conquer preferring much an innocent Death before a Life stain'd with Guilt And afterwards making good their own and their Officers Words in Imitation of their blessed Master they suffer'd themselves to be led as Sheep to the Slaughter and received every one a glorious Crown of Martyrdom If we compare the meek and Christian Behaviour of these stout Officers and Souldiers with that of our greatest Professors we have reason to bewail the Age in which we live as scarce retaining any Tincture of this primitive Spirit What excuse can we bring for Men who pretending to embrace the sacred Function of the Ministry and to preach the Gospel of Peace have thought fit to appear in Arms surrounded with Troops in opposition to Christian Authority when we find the Officers and Souldiers of a Legion here throw down their Arms rather than oppose an Heathen Persecutor What could Mr. Welsch or the Captain of his Guard have alledged in their own behalf had they heard Maunitius upon the Head of his Legion rejoicing at the patient suffering of those who died in the first Decimation and Exhorting them that surviv'd to follow their Example and not to dishonour their Profession with the Guilt of Rebellion How much more Christian was the Death of Exuperius who stript himself of his Arms as soon as the Emperours Commission was produced than that of Mr. Cameron who died with a Sword in his Hand resisting his Prince I dare not say that Mr. Cameron and this noble Officer seem'd to act each others part seeing Exuperius truly perform'd his own and hath deserved to be celebrated by all Posterity for a Christian Hero But I hope M. Cameron's greatest Friends will not be offended with me if I declare that in my humble Opinion the Manner of his Death did give no great Lustre to his former Actions for whatever Reputation it may be to a Man fighting against Turks and Infidels in Defence of Christianity to be said to have sold his Life at a dear Rate yet in giving the Character of a faithful Minister of Christ I cannot think it much for his Honour to mention that he died as we know M. Cameron did boldly fighting in direct Opposition to Authority I am not ignorant how uncharitable some have been in affirming that the Submission pay'd by the ancient Christians flow'd chiefly from their want of Power and that they did not oppose their Domitians nor their Dioclesians because they were not in a Condition to carry on a Rebellion but 't is a most malicious as well as a false Suggestion only to sully the Glory of their Sufferings and to deprive many Martyrs of one of the most precious Jewels in their Crown by making that Submission forced which was most voluntary This is directly to tax those sincere Christians with Disingenuity as if they had pretended Conscience for what proceeded chiefly from Fear or Weakness while indeed the Principles of their Religion made them good Subjects and taught them to be more afraid of the Guilt than the Punishment of Rebels Those that were known to pray every Day for a long Life and a peaceable Reign to their Emperours could not be supposed to harbour the least Thoughts of giving them Disturbance and had their Inclinations been at all mutinous by joining with a disaffected Party which

Interest will influence us even this ought to make all tremble at the very Thoughts of disturbing the Publick Peace or of setting their Countrey on Fire lest they themselves be burnt up in its Ashes As no Art can manage this Flame when it is once kindled so it has always been observ'd that the unhappy Instruments of such Tragedies have seldom escap'd or at best the issue has prov'd more grievous than any thing that could have befallen them by keeping to a dutiful Compliance It must then be confest that Men are very ill advis'd to draw inevitable Calamity upon their Countrey and to sacrifice the Lives and Fortunes of so many thousands where the Injustice is so plain and the Success of the Undertaking so doubtful And now me-thinks I hear some alledg That they only endeavour to maintain those Natural Rights and Priviledges to which every Man has an undoubted Title or that they only stand upon self-Defence which is enjoin'd them by the Law of Nature But however plausible such pretences may appear at first view yet when narrowly look'd into they will not be able to bear them out for neither the Defence of Natural Rights nor the Law of Nature will allow of any such monstrous Doctrine As to things which are undoubtedly Natural Rights all Men who are Members of Societies and live under any Rules do every day part with several of them and find a real Advantage in so doing they freely resign some natural Rights into the hands of the Publick which thereupon ensures to them the rest And tho by this means their Natural Liberties are brought under the Confinement of Laws and are in some measure abridg'd yet still their Condition is much more comfortable than if they continued single and independent Persons neither owing Obedience as Subjects nor as such receiving Protection for in this Case the Pleasure of enjoying all the Priviledges of Nature with the gilded name of entire Liberty would be sufficiently allay'd by the constant Terrors and Fears they must then live in Their own natural Rights without any other Support would little avail them nor would their overvalued Freedom fail to determine in Slavery as soon as they met with any stronger than themselves And thus by standing upon all the Priviledges of their Birth and every thing that Nature had given them they should be able to secure nothing The greatest Lovers therefore of Freedom have in all Ages been wise enough to see an Interest in framing themselves into Bodies under certain Laws which limited but withal secured those Rights of Nature and the great Dangers from which this Union freed them as well as the Advantages that have arisen from it made Men agree to keep nothing back no not Life it self when the Publick required it and this makes it evident that Self-defence is not enjoin'd by the Law of Nature because this Law is inviolable and if it absolutely required the Preservation of Life no Man could then venture it for his Countrey for his Parents nor for his Friends no Criminal could without Sin submit to the Execution of the Judges Sentence and not to meddle with Christ's Death the Glory of Martyrs would be their Crime for Violating the Law of Nature by their Voluntary Sufferings I own Self-defence to be every Man 's undoubted Birth-right one of our dearest Priviledges which we are not to forgo unless upon weighty Considerations But the great Fallacy is here Men are apt to confound Natural Rights and the Law of Nature which vastly differ The Law of Nature contains certain general Truths the Fruit and genuine Results of Reflection the very Impressions which God has immediately graven in our Souls which are not to be violated and which every Man's Reason must approve Whereas the Rights of Nature are frequently dispensed with nor have we any further Title to them than the Laws of the Government whereof we are Members allow us So that the whole Matter being rightly understood I may boldly say The Law of Nature first taught Men to give up their Natural Rights to the Publick as the wisest Bargain they could make seeing upon their committing their Lives Liberties and Fortunes to its Trust to be dispos'd of at all times as the Publick should think fit there is a sufficient Return made them by the Publick which in this Case undertakes their Protection against the whole World Second Consideration The great Design of the Christian Religion is to reform men inwardly to calm the Storm which Pride Malice or Love of Revenge are apt to raise which it effects by seasoning the Mind with Humility Gentleness and Patience It was chiefly intended to remove Mens Thoughts from Temporal to Spiritual Objects teaching them in all Conditions to shew an entire Resignation to God grounded upon a sure Confidence of his Paternal Care and Protection and when Men are once arrived at this blessed Temper of Spirit it will discover it self in the whole Tenor of their Lives with Relation both to God and their Neighbour Far from repining at the Divine Providence under the harshest Dispensations they will then be seen to rejoice in Afflictions they will cheerfully take up their Cross and notwithstanding all discouragements will keep on a steady Course towards Heaven Nor is it to be imagin'd that ill Usage from Men will be able to discompose those who have put on the strongest Resolutions to be at peace with the whole World to forgive Injuries as soon as received to pray for their Persecutors and to return Good for Evil. Seeing the holy Religion then which we profess requires such a peaceable and gentle Disposition of Mind in the cross Occurrences of this Life and seems upon all Occasions to discountenance any thing that savours of Violence certainly it will never allow of violent Methods in what immediately regards it self And as these are neither suitable to the Nature nor Design of Religion so it may be sufficiently secur'd without them and he who questions the Truth of this doth forget that Religion is an inward Principle fix'd in the Soul from whence no outward Force is able to remove it Men may be spoil'd of their Goods depriv'd of their Liberties and suffer constant Persecution for Righteousness-sake without hazarding their Religion which is beyond the Reach of the strongest and most malicious Enemies An undeniable Instance of this Truth we meet with in the Primitive Martyrs who tho they were oftentimes mean and contemptible Persons yet they held out against the whole Power of the Roman Empire So that Religion may properly be term'd A precious Treasure of which no man was ever yet rob'd but by his own Fault and as we may laugh at any Attempts which are made against it so nothing can be more unreasonable than to use Violence in keeping what cannot be taken from us We much undervalue its Power if we imagine that there is need of any thing of this kind to support it Nor can there be a more certain

I shall for brevitie's sake confine my self to two or three Instances When the Inhabitants of a Samaritan Village refused to entertain our Saviour Luke 9. v. 54. two of his Disciples not being able to bear this Affront ask'd leave to command Fire down from Heaven and consume them as Elias 2 Kin. 1. v. 10 12. had done but we find he answer'd them with this sharp rebuke Ye know not of what Spirit ye are They did imagine it fit for them to imitate the Prophet forgetting that they were now in the School of Christ and not in that of Moses Many things were allow'd but especially to those called Zealots by which Character Elias then acted which could not take place under this new Dispensation The Gospel was to be carried on with a Spirit of Lenity and Meekness Men were to be charm'd and not frighted into a good Opinion of it Nor was it at all to be introduced with Violence or Hazard to their Lives seeing the Design of the Son of Man's Coming was not to destroy Men's Lives but to save them Luke 9. v. 56. The next Instance shall be that of St. Peter who when the Souldiers came to apprehend Christ Math. 26. v. 51 52. drew his Sword and smote a Servant of the High-priest's and out off his Ear but instead of receiving Thanks for his Zeal in his Master's Defence he was commanded to put up his Sword with this Threat That all they who take the Sword shall perish by the Sword Both Ancient and Modern Writers have urged this as a plain Argument against Subjects assuming to themselves the Power of the Sword to oppose Magistrates or those who act by their Commission and the Cavil which some make as if the Threatning were here directed rather to the Jews than to St. Peter will with impartial Persons always pass for a violent wresting the Words from their genuine Sense An ancient Father Theophilact doth expresly say that Christ here taught his Disciples not to use the Sword tho by so doing he might seem to vindicate or defend God himself Another of the Ancients Origen doth conclude from Christ's Command to Peter to put up his Sword that we must not draw it unless we will perish by it and that all those who are not inclin'd to Peace but are Movers of Sedition shall perish in the War which they occasion And to give you the Comment of St. Austin here for all he saith that the Lord did in these Words sufficiently check St. Peter's Fact when he said Put up again thy Sword for he that useth the Sword shall perish by the Sword and he useth it who when no Superiour nor Lawful Power doth allow makes use of Arms against the Blood of another It would be too tedious to set down the Words of the most eminent Modern Divines who agree that Peter's Action and Christ's Reproof ought to discourage all private Persons from rising up against Authority I shall only give the Words of one most learned and judicious Commentator Grotius in 26 Math. upon this Place and the rather because some have falsly challeng'd his Testimony from other of his Writings to weaken this Evangelical Doctrine of Non-resistance This Admonition saith he doth not only belong to Peter but indeed to all Christians whom publick Authority offers to punish for their Profession And it is the Will of God that we should then give Testimony to all the World of our Christian Patience and commit our Souls unto him as unto a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 2. v. 9. For what saith he can be more just than for us to lay out our Lives for the Honor of him from whom we had them Nor must the Natural Right of Self-defence be here pleaded for there is great Difference saith he in using this Right against Robbers or such like Persons where we have the Law on our side or against the Commands of Authority which tho unjust are to be born with For as he afterwards observes Men being apt to be partial in what immediately concerns themselves if once private Persons be allow'd to make violent Opposition when they think they are injur'd by the Magistrate the World will soon be fill'd with Tumults and the Force of Laws and Judicial Procedures will be made void Reason therefore it self obligeth us to grant some Power which must not be resisted and it is certain saith he in Matters of Religion the Examples of the primitive Christians do teach us to suffer patiently any Violence offered us by those who are in Authority Now considering all that might be said in behalf of St. Peter we shall scarce meet with such another Act of Hostility that may seem so excusable Justice Duty Religion seem'd all to countenance what he did Violence was here offer'd to a Person whom he knew to be most innocent and in whom no other Fault could be found than what Malice falsly suggested and therefore no wonder if Peter thought fit to do what he could to rescue him What he did was in Defence of a Master and one who besides the common Ties of Duty and Gratitude which might prompt the Disciple had deserved likewise well of him by many special Acts of Love and Tenderness express'd towards him And lastly there seem'd to be true Zeal for Religion in this Attempt for he saw they were going to put the Messias to death purposely to stifle the great Miracles they had seen him work to disgrace the heavenly Doctrine which he had taught and to render the whole Design of his coming into the World ineffectual Besides there were other Circumstances to plead for him As they were no Magistrates who came to seize upon Jesus so 't is probable he understood not by what Authority they acted and tho I shall not with some alledge that the High-priests Commission under the Roman Government was not sufficient in such Cases yet 't is most probable that Peter look'd upon those who came as the Peoples Emissaries and their coming to be an Act of their Popular Rage Lastly for his Intention in what he did it clearly appears to have been only in Defence of Christ's Person without the least Design of giving any further Disturbance to the Government And yet notwithstanding all that can be said for him his Attempt is censur'd by him whom he intended to serve in it And that is recorded as a warning for all Christians to beware of resisting Authority even when their Actions aim at nothing but the Defence of Christ and the Gospel The last and great Instance is Christ's own Carriage at his Tryal in which he fully answer'd the Character given him by the Prophet Isa 53. v. 7. He suffered himself to be brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter as a Sheep before the Shearer so he opened not his Mouth He question'd not the Authority of Pilate he summon'd not Legions of Angels to come to his Assistance but meekly and humbly submitting to a most unjust Sentence he has proposed