walked with God and served my Neighbour in love and charitie yee have bereaved mee of my libortie yee have restrained mee and in close prisons and dungeons shut mee up and all this though yee have not done to mee in the members of my naturall body yet have yee done it to these little ones the members of my misticall Bodie who are as precious to mee as mine owne life For their sakes I tooke upon mee the forme of a Servant I gave my spotlesse blood and endured the bitter paines of death and Hell for their Redemption Surely to hear this will much amaze and confound for if he were speechlesse upon the check who wanted the Wedding garment needs must he be dumb and without excuse whose garments are rolled in blood and as red as Scarlet and Crimson Dyed in the blood and sufferings of the Innocent One short Observation more would I desirously commend to your Christian piety and therewith take leave it being consolatory that I may be free as in mine own intentions so in others estimation from suspition of having spoken or written any thing which hath not proceeded from unsaigned Charity the proper fountain of all Christian Actionâ— Whereas these Souldiers who had been addicted to violence rapine and other vices and were men accounted the worst alive as afore from sundry Authors is observed now comming to Iohn confessing and sorrow full for their fins and desiring directions which they might obâ—erve in seeking salvaâ—ion are not rejected of John as men without hope but are rather received and instructed what to do and how to demean themselves for the future with an intimation of safety upon the performance of that which is prescribed We collect That great sinners repenting and reforming themselves may obtain salvation If there had not been time of repentance and hope of salvation upon repentance and amendment he would not have exhorted these souldiers to amendment S. Hierome hath a collection not unlike hereunto upon the Epistles of Jesus Christ to some of the Churches First the Church of Ephesus had left her first love the Church of Pergamus also was not free from all offence for she had in her some which did hold the doctrine of Balaam which taught to eat things offered to Idols and to commit Fornication and such as held the doctrine of the the Nicolaitans and the Church of Thyatira did suffer the false Prophetesse Jezabel which seduced men to commit Fornication and to eate things offered to Idols Yet all these the Lord exhorts to repentance and that under a threat of a punishment to come upon them except they did repent but he would not have pressed to repentance except he would grant pardon to them that repented And another ancient Author observes as much of other Churches mentioned in those Sacred Epistles In the Church of Sardis the imperfection of workes in the Laodiceans confidence in riches is reprehended And yet these he admonisheth to repent and that under threatnings except they repented But he would not threaten him that repents not except he would pardon him that doth repent This ariseth from the goodnesse of the nature of God as may be seen in the Proclamation which past before his manifestation to Moses The Lord mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and sinne And the Prophet will tell us from GOD that he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth For this end Jesus Christ the Son of God came into the world that he might seek and save that which was lost and that hee might call the sinners to Repentance yea even such sinners as in the eye of man none could exceede even them that put him to death for whom hee prayed Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Of whom we finde some afterward hearing their sin in crucifying and murdering the Lord of life taxed by Peter pricked in conscience and crying out like the souldiers in the Text What shall wee doe c. and by Peter directed to this medicine of Repentance and Baptisme with a promise of forgivenesse of sins and receiving the Holy Ghost Of these we may say and inferre with S. Austen This people it was of whom Christ was crucified of whom he was hanged on a Tree of whom hanging there he was derided of whom he was thurst thorow with a Speare of whom was given unto him Vineger mingled with Gall to drink yet for these he prayes Father forgive them for they knowe not what they doe And what is there that is not to be forgiven to him that is converted when the blood of Christ being shed was thus forgiven The application hereof shall be comprised in two words First seeing great sinners repenting and reforming themselves may be forgiven it calls us to repentance as the prophet Ezekiel first propounding and promising pardon upon repentance and amendment calls them to reformation and casting away their transgressions and this he doth as it were by an expostulation or reasoning the matter For why will ye die O house of Israel As if hee should say If yee will not repent and 〈…〉 and are guiltie of your own destruction and that not only by 〈◊〉 committed but also by the remedie of Repentance neglected And this also is confirmed of God by â—n oath As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner but that the wicked should turne from his way and live Turne yee turne yee from your evill wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel Hereon is thus much noted Repentance therefore is life when it is perserred before death Thou therefore O sinner so seaze upon it and so imbrace it as a shipwrackt man doth some trusty piece of a plank broken out of the shipp this shall lift thee up being sunk under the waves of thy sins and draw thee into the haven of Gods mercy Secondly it comforts those that are truely penitent for their sinnes wherein they have long lived or are of great guilt and offence in the eyes of God as Murder Whordome oppression and such like upon their repentance and amendment they are pardonable if they will wash and make themselves cleane then though their sinnes were as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow if they be redde like Crimson they shall bee as Wooll Can any blood or sin whatsoever die a deeper colour then the sacred blood of the Sonn of God and yet wee see that forgiven to the Jewes repenting and embracing the faith For when they wounded in conscience they are directed to this remedie with hope of cure and safety Which may teach us That no man should dispaire of the forgivenesse of his sinne when they obtained pardon that killed Christ as saith Saint Austen wee will end with a saying of the same Father which may serve unto us both
The Souldiers MARCH TO SALVATION Wherein is shewn the lawfulnesse of Souldiery in a necessitated Warre the lawfulnesse of voluntary Serving upon the assured knowledge of a just Cause How far it is lawfull and necessary for prest Souldiers to obey Authority in case of doubting What innocency ought to be in Souldiers wherein is contained a plea against Plundering in what cases and with what Cautions it is lawfull to Kill imprison or spoil an enemy With what courtesie enemies submitting are to bee received and with what fidelity to be protected with other things profitable to all men as well as Souldiers By Francis Bland Minister Printed at Yorke Anno Dom. 1647. The souldiers March to salvation Luke 13. 14. And he sayed unto them Doe violence to no man neither accuse any falsely and be content with your wages THese words containe Iohn Bapsâ—tis answer to the souldiers search for salvation or question what they might doe to be saved From whence may be collected some things generallyobserveable for all men some things more pecular to military men for the generalls we may first note the fidelity of Iohn in a taxing the faults of these souldiers and enjoyning them to amend and reforme their lives if they would eschew the vengeance of God as he did also the extortion of the Publicanes and the incest of Herod whence we learne what fidelity and boldnesse ought to be in Pastors and Preachers in reprehending sinnes and calling for reformation The Prophet must cry aloud and and lift up his voice like a trumpet the Apostles must be salt because of b their doctrine which requires mortification of the flesh faith and repentance which are not pleasant to a Carnall man And the wordes of the wise are as goades c which sharply prickes the slow and awakes the sleepy that thereby the wicked may be called from their wayes and the godly roused from their naturall sluggishnesse to follow their duty with greater diligence The necessity of this fidelity in all pastors and preachers may be learned from the duty of watchmen as the Prophet Ezekiel is taught by God himselfe This first teaches us our duty as S. Paul did Timothy that we must reprove rebuke and exhort Our Sermons must be rather ad planetum then ad placitum to call men to bewaile their sinnes then to please them in their sinnes according to the saying of an ancient father teaching one the right way of preaching d when thou teachest in the Church let not the shouts but the sighes of the people be stirred up let the teares of the hearers be thy commendations Hence also arise a just reprehension of such as seeme by silence to approve and by flatteries to encourage wicked men in their evill wayes calling evill good and casting vailes over mens faces and sowing pillowes under their elbowes and heale the wound deceitfully crying peace peace when there is no peace and this is either through avarice and hope of gaine or cowardice for feare of harme if they should speake what they think then which as S. Ambrose sayd to the Emperour Theodosius e There is nothing before God more dangerous and before man more base Againe it serves to teach you that are hearers humility in hearing the word of exhortation and reprehension count not our plain-dealing malice nor our selves your enemies because we tell you the truth call us not the troublers of Israel for reprehending the vices of the times scise us not our Sermons what we should preach as those that sayed to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not us right things speake unto us smooth things prophesie deceits desire us not to say unto you in your bad wayes as Ahabs Chaplaines Go up and prosper least your ends be like his for the f tongues of flatterers binde mens soules in their sinnes which prepares them to chaines of utter darkenesse you should rather say as Cornelius to Peter we are all here in the presence of God to heare all things which are Commanded thee of God or as Eli did Samuel charge them to conceale nothing of all that the Lord hath sayed unto them We may further from this speech of Iohn Baptist to these souldiers bidding leave their former practise and amend their wayes by doing violence to no man c. observe That in repentance to salvation there must be a forsaking of sin and amendment of your lives to this the Prophers and Apostles beare witnesse Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings cease to do evill learn to do well thus Isaiah and then he promiseth forgivenesse that though our sinnes were red like Scarlet or Crimson yet they should be as white as Wooll ar Snow and againe let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and return unto the Lord Repent and turn you from all your transgressions faith Ezekiel And the Apostles doctrine is repent and be converted and to the same f purpose are the suffrages of the fathers Where there is no amendment there repentance is surely vaine because it wants the fruit whereunto God hath appointed it thus one and another sayth that true repentance doth so lament the faults committed that it doth not committ the faults which are to be lamented he is but a mocker and not a true penitent that still doth the things which he lamenteth Let every one of us that desires repentance unto life apply this unto his soul with a saying of S. Bernard g If thou wilt be a true penitent cease from sin and sin no more and let every one of us think that saying of our Saviour first spoken to him that was diseased thirty and eight years and after to the woman taken in adultery to be spoken to himselfe Sin no more Secondly let us beware of flattering our selves in our knowne sinnes thinking with simple miserees saying God be mercifull to me without sincere endeavours of reformation to escape the damnation of hell and let none of us speake to himselfe in the language of the drunkard I shall have peace though I goe on to add sin to wickednesse and wickednesse to sin as drunkenâ—sse to thirst and thirst to drunkenesse for the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against such an one let us therefore bewaile and tremble at the word of the Lord by the Prophet Shall I count them righteous with wicked ballances and the bag of deceitfull weights which is as much as if it should be said Shall I justifie him that stills keeps his sin h no but I will condemne him seeing I am the rule of justice and no lesse dangerous then this is recidivation falling back to the mire and vomitt of our former filthinesse or finnes once forsaken against which let us note well the saying of the son of Syrack He that washeth himself after the touching of a dead body what
availeth his washing if he touch it againe so it is with a man that fasteth for his sinnes and goeth againe and doth the same From these generall observations let us descend to some particulars more nearly concerning the questioners and men of the same order of life And first whereas Iohn Baptist doth not bid them lay downe their Armes nor renounce their troth which they plighted nor as wee say flye away from their colours Hence is rightly collected by learned Authors in their expositions upon the place and tractates upon this subject of warre an Approbation of souldiery or warfare and that there is a lawfull use of Armes and warre and that even unto Christians for If Christians discipline did disallow all warres the Baptist would rather have given them this Advice that they should throw away their Armes and withdraw themselves from all manner of warfare which he did not nor yet did our Saviour forbid the Centurion in whom was found greater faith then in Israel to continue in his Office Nor the Apostle S. Peter teach any such lesson unto the devoute Captaine Cornelius his family and friends that were gathered together to heare all things that were commanded him of God And Solomon tels us that there is a time of warre as well as a time of peace Besides all these we have the examples of worthy and godly men serving God in military Affaires Some of which are spoken of by the Apostle as of Gideon of Barak of Jephthah of Sampson of David and others who through faith subdued Kingdomes escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in Battell and turn'd to flight the Armies of Aliens And we finde what good service Claudius Lysias who commanded in chiefe the Garrisons and forces in Hierusalem did unto the Church of God by sending Paul away from Hierusalem to Caesarea with a guard of two hundred Souldiers threescore and ten Horsemen and spear men two hundred by which he safe escaped the conspitacy of the Jews that had bound themselves with an oath to kill him And of Constantine the great it is recorded what helpe he did make to the Christian's by armes against the tyrannie of Lycinius and other persecutors Againe as we have the concession of the Spirit of God for the lawfulnesse of warre in not forbiding it and the examples of worthy men serving God in it so have we the wisdome of the Spirit in giving rules and lawes for military orders to be observed in the pursuit of warre which is another strong Argument for the lawfull use of Armes in needfull cases otherwise the Spirit of God would not have given rules on this matter And withall advising not to attempt any thing in this kinde but with mature deliberation Thus Solomon teaches With good Advice make warre for that is the way to safety Further that the use of the sword is not only lawfull but in some cases necessary may be truely collected from the saying of the Apostle that the Magistrate or higher power beareth not the sword in vaine there being two endes of the Magistracy the one the good and defence of those that doe good the other the punishment of those that doe evil unto which ends the use of the sword is very necessary for hereby the Magistrate is enabled to defend himselfe and his Subjects himselfe in his just power and his subjects in their rightfull proprieties whereunto without the use of the sword he should sometime be unable by an over-powring strength of a forreigne enemie and others sometimes by the conspiring and conbining together of intestine foes and seditions persons raising routs and rebellions to the oppression of the people subversion of States ruines and alterations of Kingdoms and governments and other like mischiefes incident to human Affaires for the prevention of which lawes Magistrates and Armes are equally necessary Vndoubdtedly therefore seeing that there are such a multitude of wicked men as lawes are necessary so also Magistrates and likewise souldiers which are under them And wee find this practised by David not only against the forraigne foes of himself and his people the Philistines and Ammonites but also against the usurpation of Ishbosheth as likewise against the rebellion of Absolom and Shebah and their adherents From hence we may inferre consolations and encouragments to those Princes and Magistrates whom open hostility of forreigne enemies as Jehoshaphat assaulted by the Moabites and Ammonites or the intestine disobedience of unnaturall Traitours and Rebells as David by the rebellions of Absolom or Shebah or the exigencie and distresse of friends as Lots captivity did Abraham or allies and confedrates as the Gibeonites being in feare of the five Kings did Joshuah doe necessitate and compell to draw the sword and make warre for we do alwayes think that warre ought to be of necessity and do propound unto themselves just ends as defence of themselves and subjects their friends and confederates in their just powers rights proprieties and priviledges from wrongs Reparation of injuries for which no reparation can be had by peace restraint of violence or confusion arising by tumultuous and factious men restitution of peace and publique Tranquiltie where it is violated or broken and conservation of it where it is assaulted for warre is waged that peace may be obtained These ends I say and not sinister and private Aimes propounded as enslaving free Subjects oppression of weaker states invasions and conquests of others dominions enlarging private territories and treasures and such like which ends doe render a warre lawfull And together with these ends doe not prosecute their warres with a purpose to hurt cruelly thirsting after revenge with implacable malice brutish rebellion and desire of dominearinge with such other like Affections of which it is said that in warres they are justly condemnable but being on the other side peaceably affected only seeking and demanding reparation of injuries offering conditions of peace and agreement and having a mind prepared to embrace peace when it shall be offered and purposeth nothing more then to reduce those whom they shall subdue unto peace and unity according to this direction be a peace-maker by warring that those whom thou conquerest thou maist reduce unto the unity of peace These I say herein may bee comforted and encouraged their service herein is no lesse acceptable to God though it be done by the sword then that which they performe in the Administration of justice by the Scepter in times of peace and greatest Tranquility Secondly this consolation and encouragement extends unto all souldiers that are called to armes by just Authoritie and doe serve under their Princes in the Lords Battels The workes of a just warre duely managed are no more by-wayes to true happinesse then the workes of their ordinary vocations in times of peace yea so it may bee that just and godly
souldiers may serve under a wicked King or Prince and yet may be free from sinne A just man if happily he serve under a King that is a sacrilegious man may rightly warre vnder his Command if instead of peace keeping the order of warre he be assured that the thing which is commanded him be not contrary to the commandement of God or bee vncertaine whether it be so or not and thus the unjust command may make the King an offendex but the order of serving may shew the souldier to be innocent Unto the question which is sometime made Seeing Princes do sometimes raise warres from bad Affections and for wicked ends and purposes how should the consciences of the Subjects be satified It is answered thus or to this purpose The Subjects either know the cause wherein the King commands their service to bee just or wicked or else they are ignorant or doubtfull whether it be so or not in case of sure knowledge there is no difficulty in answering but they ought to obey the cause being just and to refuse obedience the cause being apparantly unjust and any thing commanded repugnant to justice godlinesse and Religion and are rather to suffer his displeasure then fullfill his will contrary to a good conscience remembring God is to be obeyed before man but if they be doubtfull or ignorant then the Subject ought to be perswaded that the cause and intended ends of such warre are just and that it is not undertaken contary to the word of God and because subjects cannot alwayes understand the councels of their Princes here in the case of doubting the Rule must be followed hold that which is certaine and leave the vncertainty but the certaine is that Princes and Powers are to be obeyed which command nothing contrary to the word and in so doing as a Sanctuary or Refuge was appointed by the Lawe to him that killed his Neighbour not wilfully or of set purpose so the subjects are worthily excused whilest in a doubtfull cause they obey their Prince Thirdly this consolation and encouragement extends not only to Princes and souldiers prest and compelled to Armes by their Authority but even unto voluntiers such as upon the knowledge and perswasion of a just cause for love to uplhold the honour of God and the King his vicegerent and for the safety of their country Church Laws liberties and Religion or for the defence and vindication of their friends Allies and confederates do of their owne free will and meer motion betake themselves to Armes so as not being moved with mercenary ends respecting pay and hire which are the Attractives of mercenary souldiers A sort of men condemned not only of divine but even humane Authors As of the noble Pyrrâ—us it is said that he would not have Hucksters of warre That would sell their strength and kill for mony And a Poet Satyrically thus declames against them Faith and devotion are of one account To men that Campeâ— and mexcenary warre Frequent there's right where greatest pay doth mount For little hire they serve that 's all they care But not being drawne by this consideration of pay or intent together wealth by pillage and booty respecting neither the cause for which they fight nor person whether Turke Tyrant or Traytour under whom they serve which doth render the warre unlawfnll according to the saying of S. Austen to warre it is not a sin but to make warre or serve in warre for the prey or booty is a sin but those I say whose candid spirits are free from such sinister and base intendements their voluntary and valourous endeavours and adventuring their lives and what is precious unto them like those noble Voluntiers the governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people as their Act is worthy of unfading honor so may they receive infallible comfort and incouragement and know themselves as well as others Not to be murderers but ministers of the Law not Revengers of their owne priviate wrongs but defenders of the publike safety As t is noted that Iohn Baptist did account these souldiers in our Text I will stretch this line no further least I seem to flatter only I crave leave to adde this pithy exhortation which I have borrowed from an Author not unlearned and here inserted it being very profitable for all souldiers to observe Let the Christian souldier therefore be ever doing something let him be couragious faithfull laborious and obedient to his Commanders Let him not slip any occasion but be excercised in military discipline let him not be cowardly but valiant not cruell and bloudy but yet severe and withall gentle and courteous as times shall require Let him spoile nothing that he can preserve and before all things let him not neglect his dayly and constant prayers unto God as well in safety as in midst of danger let him begin all things with God and without God attempt nought at all if hee taste Adversity let him not cast downe his heart and if he enjoy prosperity let him not be proud but ever thankfull and alwayes use the victory with clemencie and mercy let him totally depend upon God and desire nothing more then the defence of the Common-wealth lawes Religion Justice and the innocent and thus fighting the good fight he shall at last obtaine the crowne of righteousnesse and if the Lord of hosts which is the Generall of all Armies and other Generalls but his Officers at his comming shall finde him thus doing he shall be no lesse happy then if he were found imployed in the workes of his ordinary vocation or at his prayers and exercise of his most pious and sacred devotions and upon his Monument may worthily be inscribed this Epitaph Valour was the Associate of his life and the Comerade of his death was glory Having seen the lawfulnesse of souldiery let us now come to see what is unlawfull in souldiers taught us by these words of John Baptist Do violence to no man neither accuse any salsely and be content with your wages wherein are observable these things First that they must hurt no mans person oppressing the poore which cannot defend themselves wounding their Bodies unduly affrighting them or other wayes injuring them under pretence of their office for it usually happens that those Armes which the Prince commands to be taken up for the defence of the publike orders and honesty are turned to the dammage and ruine of the inhabitants of city and country For oftentimes the souldiers do plunder and burne houses drive away the inhabitants ravish the women breake open the doores and commic such like outrages all which they think lawfull for them being souldiers Secondly they must not accuse any man falsly or lay some capitall crime to his charge as some did accusing the innocent and making information against them to the Generall or other chiefe Commanders that they might thereby lick money out of the rich