Philistim and yet these were they that they never suspected till the battle was lost wherein 30000 were slaine their Priests were gone Eli his necke broken and which was worste of all the Arke of God was taken Then they began in their calamitie to call a new quest of inquirie to make a new search and to find out this execrable thing namely their sin 1. Sam. 7. â— for the which as it is said all the hoast of Israel lamented before the Lord. The like neglect wee may behold in the people of Israel going against Beniamin The first day they lost 22000 they lament indeed and looke about them what should be the matter but they go the wrong way they fall to doubt of their commission as though there had been some fault in that they supposed they could not prosper because they had lift up their hand against their brethren although God had bid them doe it but there was another matter in it that they were not a ware of that was their sin which questionlesse God did punish by those two overthrows First they were altogether become corrupt and abhominable in their courses worship of God insomuch that as the Lord speaketh every man did what seemed good in his owne eyes It is true when they heard of the beastly and abhominable act of killing of the Levits wife under their filthy lust their hearts rose against it they would be avenged on all the whole tribe if the transgressors were not delivered This was all well but this was not all they should haue begune at home and purged themselues of spirituall uncleannesse and other sinnes that doe accompany that and then they had been fit to haue punished the beastlinesse of the Beniamits Againe for number they were so many and the other not a gleaning to them that they made no question of the victory so that they thought it needlesse to seeke to God by humbling of themselues for a good successe But God for those met with them and set them in the right way ere he had done with them for when after the second defeate they got sight of their sin and humbled themselues for it by fasting and praying they received a better answere with assurance of the victory Now give me leaue to applie and that in all humilitie Application The ground of your enterprise was good the commission faultlesse and the end for any thing I know upright yea and the enemie Gods enemie yet for all this thus far they haue prevayled and doe prevaile the cause I feare is want of reformation at home and it may be too much presuming of worldly forces and friendship which the Lord would haue to prove no better then a broken reede If the commission be good and the parties disable themselues from the execution of it what fault is in it or in him that gaue it out As it is far from me to charge any thing upon any mans conscience so I intreate every man to charge his owne conscience as David did and say I am the man A generall view or search will not serue for so long as men keepe themselues at generals they never find out that in themselues which most displeaseth God but often mistake that to be no sin which is sinne or that to be sin which is no sin Men must not stay themselues in the Procatartick or remote causes but they must dive unto the Proegumene conjunct or essential imediate cause Empyrickes mistaking symptomes for the sicknesse it selfe are fayrer to kill then to cure so in finding out some petty sinnes some never look at the main sinnes like those that lop off branches of the tree but never strike at the roote and as by this pruning the trees grow bigger so by daliance in search all growes worse and worse therefore to the bosome sin the darling-sin the seed-sinne that is deer as hand and foot cut it off and cast it away Let every man be severest with himselfe and favour himselfe not in the least sin that sin that hee least lookes after and will not acknowledge to be sin is commonly the capital sinne as taking liberty to profane the Sabboth going to stage-plaies scoffing precisenesse pettie oathes abuse of the creatures usury these be Nationall sins and set ope the gate to all other sins and consequently to judgment On the first my heart giues me to dwell if it were my place and the Treatise would permit for as it is the sin of Nations so it is the capitall sin though least thought on the threatnings against the breach of this commandement the promise annexed to the keeping of it the backing of it with reasons and fore-fronting of it with a remember Zacor doe necessarily imply all these lessons as first the antiquity of it and the continuance of it that as it was from the beginning so it should be remembred to the end Gen. 2.3 secondly it discovers the propensity of man to the light esteem of it and to the breaking of it thirdly it shews the greatnesse of the sin Ezech. 20.12.22 fourthly Gods great desire to haue it kept calling it the holy honourable day yea and the delight of the Lord Es 58.13 All these cords will pull down inevitable judgements upon all the palpable profaners of this day by their pleasures or ordinary imployments except they repent This sin cryes in England and roares in Holland where by open shops and other works of their calling they proclaim with open mouth their little regard of God or his Sabboth Iudgement likewise hangs over the head of all halvers of the Lords day making it neither Gods nor theirs but divide it All Iewish translators of the Sabboth all toleration from higher powers to profane it at which we may lay our hands upon our mouths But I hope the Parliament will redresse it likewise on all that dare proclaime it from Pulpit to bee onely a Ceremoniall Law and that the rest now injoyned is a meer Civill Ordinance The Papists presse this as a meer humane Institution in religious Worship Spalato a little before his departure told a man in dispute with him that that Commandement was done away Many Libertine Ministers and Prelats in England maintain the same in effect and the worst of the Ministers of the Vnited Provinces concur with them in this point for though some presse the keeping of it yet they urge it not as a divine Precept but as a time appointed by a meer positiue law for the worship of God but this crosseth the nature of the commandement being Morall given from the beginning before the Ceremoniall Law written by Gods own finger proclaimed to all the people to continue to the end It substracts from the number of the Precepts being ten Exod. 34.18 Deut. 10.4 it oppugneth the practise of God which is for a president to us It is against naturall reason and divine prerogatiue that God should not haue a solemn time appointed for
true theorick of Arms getteth him up in a pulpit and taketh upon him to perswade the Carthaginians to giue up with the Romans and to renew their warre Hannibal perceiving the foole to be out of his element pulled him out of the Pulpit and went up himselfe where he perswaded the people with impregnable reasons to continue their peace and so prevailed He knew by experience it was not so easie to manage warre as to talk of warre and therefore blessed are the peace â—akers who make such peace indeed as standeth with Gods honor and the publique good otherwise as authors averre and experience teacheth A just war is to be preferred to an unjust peace Melchizedech was King of peace and King of righteousnesse Peace and righteousnesse kisse each other Austin in Psal 48. No man can injoy saith Austin the one without the other Sauls making peace with Agag brake his peace for ever with God therefore one said well Melior est illa pugnaque â—eo proximum facit quenâ— pax illa qui seperat a Deo Nazianz. in Apol. Warr how it is sin That warre is better that maketh a man neerer to God then that peace that separateth him from God Now for the last thing that warre it selfe unlawfully undertaken is sin it appeareth from that quarrell that God for ever had with the Amalakites who were the first that made war with the people of God when they took their journy It appeareth likewise from the ground of vvar vvhich is alwaies naught at least either on the invaders part or on the defendors arising as one observeth well from malice or injustice and so by consequence it is either on the one part or the other from the instigation of the devill because of all those evils of warr the ancient Latines derived the name of vvar from an unruly beast Bellum a bellua dictum quideÌ„ volunt as becomming beasts better then men and therefore as farre as is possible it is to be avoided CHAP. II. Of the good of War NOtwithstanding of all this that hath been said of war yet Warre vvell undertaken is not onely lawfull but also necessary and that upon a two-fold ground either upon the law of Nature and Nations not repugnant to the Law of God undertaken for the defence of our selues or confederates and this is called a Defensiue War such was that of the Israelites against the Amalakites Or it is grounded upon the absolute command of God for the revenging him upon his enemies or the delivery of his friends as Moses is commanded to take vengeance of the Midianites Numb 31. Deut. 25.17.18 Gen. 14. v. 14.20 yea to remember Amaleck and not to forget him but to raze out his remembrance By the same warrant did Abraham reskue his nephew Lot from the foure Kings The like warrant and vvatch-word is given to vvarr against the Whore and her confederates Rev. 19.17 I saw an Angeil stand in the Sunne who cryed with a lowd voyce saying So that War both defenfiue and offensiue the due circumstances thereof observed is lawfull The reasons thereof be many The lawfulnesse of warre a gainst the Anabaptists 23. Num 31. Iud. 1.2.6 which I the rather presse for thaâ— frantick and groundlesse conceit of the Anabaptist holding it altogether unlawfull for Christians to make warre First wee haue as I haue shewed Gods commandment for it as wee may see in the places quoted Which commaÌ„dement is not onely peculiar to that time and people but it belongeth to all upon the like occasions Secondly God hath set downe lawes of war Thirdly Num. 1 2â— 10.13 chap. 13.20 Deut. 20. Gen 14.14.2 1. Sam. 23. Luke 3.4 Sâ— Christiana disciplina omnia bella damnaret hoc potius concilium c. ut arma abijcerent Aug Ep. 5. ad Mar. 11. God is called the God of warre as well as of peace Iehovah is a man of war that is an exellent warriour Fourthly the practice of the Saintes approved by God as of Abraham David c. Yea Iohn Baptist in correcting of the abuses of the calling did not cashire the calling but rather approved it Austin wel observeth that if Christian discipline had condemned all Armes then Iohn had given the souldiers counsel to cast away their Armes The good Centurion goeth on in his calling and the devout soudier is a souldier still ‘ Act. 10.13 Sergius Paulus a prudent man heard the word and beleeved yet still remained Deputie Yea warre is lawfull by the law of nature and nations because it is as one saith a ê° Quia opus est justiciae defendentis pios effendentis impios worke of righteousnes defending the good and offending the bad Therefore not abrogated by the gospel Yea they who omit this worke of righteousnes upon good ground are †Homicidae sunt ipsoruÌ„ paricidae sunt Ecclesiae called homicides of themselves and paricids of the Church common wealth As for the obiectioÌ„s of the Anabaptistes it is more time to fight then to answere them The places of Scripture by them wrested resist not evil And when any smite thee on the one cheeke turne the other also and such like may be answered thus that rather then private men should revenge their owne private wrong they should suffer wrong especially if it make for the glory of God or gayning of their brother As for Christs leaving of his peace with his and the accomplishing of that prophesie Esa 2. â— they shall break their swordes into mattockes and their speares into sithes I answere as the prophesie is true and truely accomplished yet but in part and not so fully accomplished as it shal be it is likewise true that Christian Princes should labor for such peace as is both prophesied of and partly accomplished and so should all men labor both for the internall and externall peace spoken off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad But wee must understand with whom wee live in this world with men of strife men of blouds having Dragons hearts Serpents heades Bloudy coulors with that cruell Motto of the wicked man spoken of by Homer deadly warre delights him Such is that incarnate divell in the Revelation called the red Dragon by which is meant bloudy Rome Rev. 12.3 in her persecuting Emporours deciphered there by her Armes Of as deepe a dye is that bloudy whore in the armes of her last lover the Pope for the which shee is called the scarlet whcore Rev. 17.4 16. which is not onely bathed in the bloud but is drunke with the bloud of the Saints Such is the nature of all the devills limmes and bratts of the whore Nil nisi bella crepaÌ„t they thinke of nothing but war They sound nothing but warr and shall the Saints that be slaine and the soules under the altar cry still for revenge and Christian Kings and Princes keepe their hands in their bosome Militare noÌ„ est
delictum c. August de de verbâ— dom Noli exstimare nemineÌ„ Deo placere posse Fortitudo quae per bella tuetur a barbaris patriam plena justitiae est Offici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely this is to bring bloud upon their heads and to sin both against the Law and the Gospell It is not a sin as Austin saith to war but to abuse it Doe not thinke saith the same Father that a man cannot please God in warre for David was a warrior and God gave to him a great testimonie The force of war saith Ambrosius that maintaineth the country against bloudy and barbarous enemies defendeth the weake and such as are subiect to oppression delivereth the confederates that are in danger from the hand of the bloud-thirstie is full of righteousnes There be but two wayes saith Tully to decide matters eyther by dispute or armes and men must haue recourse to the latter when there is no place for the former Thucidides like a wise man pressing all meÌ„ to keepe the peace secludes not the lawfulnes of war if necessitic inforce it Good men saith he if necessitie inforce them change peace into war To conclude this point the Apostle willeth us to haue peace with all men but if it be possible where the Apostle implyeth that it is impossible to haue peace with some Rom. 12.1 Yea while the godly speake of peace their enemies prepare for war Lu. 22.36 Therefore wee must doe as the Apostles were commanded in another kind Sell our coates and by swords Or as Nehemiah Nehe. 4 14 17. in the same kind incouraged the people Fight for your brethren your sonnes and your daughters your wives and your houses yea it standeth us upon it to doe the worke with the one hand and with the other hold the sword CHAP. III. Of the Guide of Warre THus hauing shewed the incommodities of war and the equitie of it I come to the third last point of the treatise namely the ordering of warre This is the main point for the clearing whereof I haue with as much brevitie as I could handled the former two Here againe to Apologize my want of skill and to deprecate censure were to be iealous of the readers good will and to detract from my highest patronage To come then to the point In every warre there be two things especially to be observed That it be Iustum Iuste just in it selfe that is iustly vndertaken and it must be iustly and duely followed For the first we must first know what a iust war is The description of a iust war wich may be thus defined That which is undertaken for a iust cause by a competent person in place of Magistracie in a lawfull maÌ„ner against an externall or internall enemie following it orderly by the law of nature and nations having for the end Gods glory and our owne peace to the same effect as divines tell vs to a iust and lavvfull war three thinges are required A good cause a well ordered affection and a lawfull authoritie Or if yow wil for the better ordering of war by its proper lawes let vs observe three sorts of polemick lawes some concerneth the preparation some the battle it selfe and some the sequele or the event Some parts of the description apperatine to the first lawes some to the second and some to third The iust cause of war To come in order to the first there must be a iust cause which may briefly be exprest under the maintenance of religion or civill right eyther for our selves or our Christian confederates 〈◊〉 Thus was the warre of the Israelits against the Amalekits Exod. 17 So against the Midianites Numb 25.17 18. For they had hurt them both in their bodyes and in their soules A like good ground had Abraham for his war against the four Kings namely the rescuing of his nephevv Lot out of the hands of merciles bloudy enemies It is true indeed that Lot had no good ground for being there neyther is it thought that the King of Elam wanted iust cause to come against Sodome to represse rebells but howsoever they had nothing to doe with Lot by whom they were not wronged and this gaue Abraham just cause without further expostulation of Lots oversight to adventure his owne life and the life of his for the delivery of his friend And indeed as the cause was just he did but what he should haue done yea if he had not done it it had been both sin and shame to him Wilt thou not saith the Wise man preserue those that are led to be slaine Prov. 24.11 In the war injoyned by God to his people against the nations and in other warrs permitted occasionally they were alwayes to looke to the equitie of the cause as the main ground whereupon they were to go For God himselfe injoyneth nothing without a good ground The Romanes who had onely the light of nature to guide them in their procedings had alwayes respect to the ground of their vvar before they vvould undertake it Amongst many instances observe these tvvo The Campani who vvere nieghbours to the Romanes being invaded by the Samnites a mightie people desired ayd against them pressing them vvith many forcible arguments as from the lavv of proximitie or neighbour-hood of affinitie of ensuyng commoditie and finally from the Romans generous disposition but all these allegations not affording a sufficient ground this vvas all the Romanes did for the present they sent Embassadors to the Samnites desiring them to cease from vvar against their neighbours vvhich the Campanian deputies knovving to be lost labor they yeild themselves up as the right of the Romans vvith this speech If you thinke much to defend vs from the unjust invasion of a Tyranons enemy yet defend that which is your owne Vpon this voluntarie dedition Tit. Liv li. 7. Decad. the Senat undertooke the defence of them having a just title for the ground of the vvarre Another instance offers it selfe in that dispute between the wisest man and the best man in Rome namely Cato and Scipio Nassica Because the Carthaginians began to rig ships contrary to the articles of peace it was the judgement of Cato and others that warre should be denounced out of hand but Scipio was of another mind because he thought it was no sufficient ground for warre for they had yet sustained no damage but the Carthaginians had rather indammaged themselues in violating their faith they should rather be summoned to lay down their Armes to untackle their Ships and so to keep the peace Scipio his judgment was approved but the Carthaginians contemned the summons Whereupon the Senate and that upon just ground agreed all in one to take up Armes against them Other memorable examples are extant to this purpose Charles the 8 of France a yong King being instigated to take Arms against Francis Duke of Brittaine and â—o lay hold upon the Dutchy as his right
rather perish then unity Pereat unuâ— potius quâ— unitas â—especially where it is deserved They must know how â—ardly souldiers are kept in order and vvhat a dangerous â—ing disorder is in warre To conclude this point I wish from my heart that our souldiers now may deserue the commendation that Iosephus gaue to the Romane souldiers They so obsequiously obeyed their Commanders that in peace the were an ornament and in warre the whole Army was as on body so that with ready eares and quick eies to receiuâ— signes and precepts they performed their service couragiously and strennuously How could they then saith he not conquer CHAP. VIII Of the lawfull undertaking of War THVS having shewed the personall circumstances 1 Causes to be made known 2 Reparation demanded 3 And lastly warr to be denounced 〈◊〉 come to the third main circumstance of the description namely the lawfull undertaking of it A war may be lawfull in it selfe and yet unlawfully undertaken As for noâ— making the causes known not requiring reparation of the wrong and finally for not denouncing of the warre All these were observed by the Israelites in repairing the wrong done to the Levite and his Concubine For first the Tribeâ— sent to Gibeah to expostulate the wickednesse vvith Beâ—jamin Ludg. 20. they demanded those children of Belial that were the malefactors that by putting them to death evill might be done away To the which when the children of Benjamit would not hearken Israel makes war against them which doubtlesse was denounced upon the denyall as appeareth by the Benjamits taking notice of it and preparing themselues to intertain the vvar Iudg. 20.11.12 c. In which passage it is not amisse to obserue that Marginall note of rebeâ—ion Scripture abuse by thâ— Doct. of Doway of the Doctors of Doway made upon the place That omission or contempt to punish haynous crimes is a just cause to make warre against any people Their bloudy conclusioÌ„ falsly observed from the premisse I shall after haue occasioÌ„ to hanâ—â—e for the preseÌ„t let this suffice They force the Text against the minde of the holy Ghost For howsoever the people â—â—ere devided in tribes yet it vvas one intire politique body 〈◊〉 heads vvhereof might call any offenders to an account â—hich they might not haue done if they had been under â—stinct dominions and policies But of this more hereafter 〈◊〉 To the present matter that this proceeding is requisite Reasons it 〈◊〉 not onely cleere from the law of nature and nations but also from the law of God the continued practise both of Gods people of the heathen In the booke of the law the â—ord commandeth his people when they come to fight against a Cittie they should proclaime peace which if they entertayned then were they to saue them make them tributaries But if they should reject the condition theÌ„ were they to beâ—eige the Cittie to smite the people to take the spoile to themselves Deut. 20.10.11.12 So the tribes by Embassadors examined the Reubenites erecting of the Altar before they would war against them Iosh 22.12 Yea God himself who for his dominion and power both in heaven and earth is â—alled the Lord of hosts keepeth this selfe same course in his proceeding against the rebellious sonnes of men For proofe here of the Scripture is copious I will therefore point out one place in the prophesie of Hosea Blow ye the cornet in Giheah the trumpet in Ramah cry aloud Ch. 5.8 or beat up the drum at 〈◊〉 thaveÌ„ after thee O Beniamin As here the Prophet describeth the treacherie and rebellion of the people against God so he beingeth in God as it were comming in armes or marching in battle-ray against the people But withall he willeth the priests and watchmen upon the wall to giue them warning 〈◊〉 by sound of trumpet and beating of the drumme to proâ—aime the Lords comming that they might prepare themselves to meet the Lord by repentance And this God doth 〈◊〉 shew the equitie of his wayes that as he giveth lawes to â—thers he will be a law to himselfe The heathens that know not God were strict in this course Belli aequitas sanctissime feciali populi Romani jure praescripts est nam nullum bellum justuÌ„ nisi quod denunciatuÌ„ sit indictum lib. 1. de off as appeareth by an in violable rule of war mentioned by Tullie The equitie of war doth religiouily require that by an herauld of armes from the Romane Senate war should be proclaimed For no war saith he can be just which is not before denounced and proclaymed This forme of denouncing war was first taken up amongst the heathens by one Rhesis as witnesseth the ‘ Author de viris illustribus cap. 5. Author of worthy men brought into Rome as Livi witnesseth by Ancus Marcius their King the forme whereof wee finde in sundry Authors of note ê° Livi lib. 1. Gell. lib. 10. A herauld of Armes with two sufficient witnesses was tâ— fling a speare into the Territories of the enemie Vpon the inlargment of their dominions they had a Pillar which they called the Pillar of war from which they flung a bloudy speare that was kept in the Temple of Mars toward the enemy on whom they vvere to vvar â— Columna bellica This was likewise the custome of the Persians c Ammians Marcellinus lib. 16. CHAPT IX Against whom to War THe fourth circumstance following in the description An enemie must be the obiect of war concerneth the object of war or the partie against whom we are to war namely an internall or externall enemie So did rhe Israelites in their warres commanded against the seven nations or in their warres permitted upon occasion against their enemies So the Israelits against the Beniamits for they were become Gods enemies and the enemies of the common-wealth The Lord will not suffer his people to meddle vvith the Moabites because they vvere friends in the flesh though untovvard ones permitting yet by Gods mercy his people to passe by them paying for the necessaries they tooke of them So neither with the Ammonites not theirs did they meddle Deut. 2.9.19 Iacobus Ruardus Comment de divers Reg. jur It was a Law amongst the Romanes that upon controversies arising friendship should be given up and deadly enmity openly profest beâ—ore they made warre upon them Hence it appeareth how unwarrantably against the Law of Nature and Nations the Duke of Bavaria hath taken up Armes against his deer and faithfull friend without just cause or good occasion given him by him or his Croesus was demanded by Socrates vvhat vvas the preciousest thing he had gained by his greatnesse Max. Serm. 6. He answered revenge upon his foes and advancement of his friends What a vile thing is it then to take vengeance on the friend and to advance the foe A hurtfull friend is worser then a foe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
it be a Sacrament as they say yet the Sacrament of orders barreth them of it as the military sacrament did bar the souldier But Severus more wisely Herodian lib. 3. upon better warrant gaue them free liberty to haue their wiues at home but Alexander permitted them to haue them in their Camps with their families after the Persian manner and so to liue and breed in Camps as the Hollander doth at Sea Though this proved well for Alexander as every thing did and though a great many loving wiues willing to liue and die with their husbands would be of his mind yet upon mature judgement the middle rule shall proue the best but I leaue it to the scanning of the judicious and I come again to Discipline Sejanus as Tacitus reporteth would haue Camps remote from Cities except they did beleagre them that by the evils of the Cities they might not be corrupted Yea the lascivious and disordered youths were brought into the Campes IuveneÌ„ urbano luxu lascivientem melius est in castris haberi lib. 2. Annal. that by the force of Discipline they might be reclaimed For as the Synagogue of Rome and all the lymmes of that confused Babel liketh nothing worse then the Discipline of Christs Campe so to the loose Atacticks of these evill times there is nothing more contrary then the medicine of Discipline A great many therefore had need to be in Camps if Campes were as they should be the schooles of Discipline As the necessitie of this Discipline is evident from the exorbitancy of corrupt nature and the evils incident to a militarie life so it is more then manifest from Gods own command concerning the government of the Israelites Camp wherunto Moses and Ios hua had a great respect namely that Discipline should be exactly exercised as appeareth in the censure of Achan and others Yea the Romans whose glory was their God and their Common-wealth their best inheritance made this the inlarger and maintainer of their Dominions It was said of Scipio to his great commendation that hee was the restorer of Discipline not onely fayling but also neglected among the Romanes insomuch that hee held it a greater labour to reduce his own forces to Discipline then to giue battle to the Numantines his enemies therefore he abandoned all Bauds Whoores Coseners Coggers Diviners and Figure-flingers And to giue our enemies their due for the wicked are wise in their own generation how admirable hath the Turkes been in the â—ictnesse of Discipline I formerly shewed Pandect Turc cap. 24. whereof you â—ay see more at large in Leunclavius Hypolitus Busbequius â—â—d others Yea to come to a latter instance in one of â—e greatest of Gods enemies that this age affoorded nameâ—â— the Duke de Maine for excellency in discipline he was â—â—cond to none For the ruin of this The causes of the decay of Discipline I may again with â—â—e learned renew my complaint but I haue handled that before onely the causes would be observed which I take First to be want of piety the duties of the second Table wise from the duties of the first Other causes we may gather from the words of Appian Lib. 4. de bello civili These are the things saith he that layeth millitary Discipline in the dust every one forgetteth his place namely that he is a souldier hee preferreth the serving of a private humour or his own lust to the publique good great Ones or Princes abuse the service of Inferiours to their own onely gain In sua orat apud Dionys Haâ—â—carnas Appius Clauâ—â—us giveth another cause namely mans palliating foule sins with abused names as haughtinesse and contempt with the name of gravity filthy ribauldry with the name of merriment palpable foolery with the name of simplicity starke staring madnesse with the name of fortitude bloudie oaths with the name of big souldier-like words drunkennesse with the name of good fellowship the Idol-maker of a Cup with the name of a good subject and lastly the loose carriage of great Ones with the names of refreshing themselues And by the contrary the best things are branded with the worst and foulest names as piety by the name of Puritanism humility with the name of pusillanimity simplicity of speech is called hypocrisie and sobriety singularity and reproofe of sin too much holinesse due execution of discipline cruelty but remissenesse of discipline gentlenesse As the evill is manifest with the causes thereof so of necessity there must be a medicine else all is mard and with this as I shewed the great Ones in themselues must begin Moses and Iosua if they will leade the Lords forces must disciplinate themselues before they direct others If a King 〈◊〉 in the Camp Discipline should rule him It is very base flattery and meat and drink to many to suggest to Kings that they may rule others by Laws and themselues by their our wils The very Heathen Emperours who had no moâ— knowledge then the bookes of Nature or at most such 〈◊〉 Morall Philosophy could affoord and no more glory bâ—â— transitory command yet they would subject themselues tâ—â— the selfe-same Laws that they willed others to obey A notable instance in this we haue in Adrian the Emperour the first after Octavius Caesar that revived Discipline and therefore much magnified by Aelian in his Tackticks Sparlian in vita Hadrian Lib. 5. eb 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was the manner in creating of a Tribune of war to put a sword into his hand as an Ensign of command vvhich the Emperour holding out to the Tribune Behold saith he receiâ—â— this sword which if I command and rule in reason as a Prine should doe draw it out and use it for me but if I doe otherwise use it against me Crinitus hath words to the same effect spoken by the Emperour to Sura when hee set him over the Pretorian forces So Dio. But Suidas hath the words in Greeke Secondly if Commanders would haue Discipline the must not disdain to shew them the way And that great Generals haue not denyed to doe in things even inferiour to their place As I shewed you before in Adrian so by a whole Iury of the learned the like is testified of Scipio the restorer of Discipline He would haue no beds and to shew them an example he used himselfe to much hardnesse lying no better then on a bed filled with Hay hee abandoned all dainties and delicacies Ignâ—viam aliaque mi litum vitta exercendo potius in castris velut in scholis quam puniendo sustulit Appian de bell HispaÌ„ 1. alij so that ease had no intertainment and by these pains he obtained his end As it is said of him to his great praise That hee tooke away sloth and other vices of the souldiers rather by his exercise in the Campe as in a schoole then by inflicting of punishment â—et Christian Kings and Commanders learne this of â—od the great Commander
is the friut of D. Hall his correspondencie with poperie for which he pleadeth in his treatise of travells and urged hard for conformitie with popish ceremonies by Heylin in his Geography As for the Papists applauding of our leiturgie as he speaketh there it is but a sorry prayse to it when they reckon with him they will pay him for this as they doe in the Epistle to Spalatoes recantation where belying him falsly with the name of an unlearned Minister they flout him for his bragge In the honour of the maried clergie pag. 55. that the English Church was honoured with a Dalmatian pall put upon a Bandogg indeed I know the Doctor knoweth them well enough and that there is no peace with Rome who haue sworne themselues deadly enemies to the gospel and the Professors thereof It is the oath of the Kinghts of the holy Ghost ordeyned by Henry the third of France Anno 1570. that they should persecute the Hugonits Now I come to the last argument which is the evill ensuyng upon the toleration of any false religion The Lord telleth the Israelits that if they destroy not all the idols of the Canaanits that his angershould be kindled against them Deut. 7.4 and he would destroy them suddenly How angry was God with Iehosaphat for hauing any thing to doe with idolatrous Achab therefore he rebuketh him sharply threatneth him fearfully by the mouth of Hanani the Seer 2. Chron. 19 2. shouldest thou helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. And falling in the same fault againe in ioyning with wicked Ahaziah King of Israel he telleth him by the mouth of Eliezer because thou hast joyned they selfe with Ahazia the Lord hath broken thy workes 2. Chron. 20 37. If the Lord were thus angry for joyning in civill affaires how angry would he haue been if he had admitted their idolatry or matched with them The most part of the Kings and great ones Applicatiō they eyther forget God altogether or they thinke he is not the same God I would therefore haue them to cast but their eyes upon examples of later times and see how the Lord hath met with tolerators of false religion Henry the fourth of France begun well but he held not out whose tolerating of others though upon extremitie and imbracing of popery for a kingdom though from the teeth outward caused the Lord as one said well to him to smite first at his tongue wherewith he had denyed him and at last to smite at his heart by one of the furies of the same hellish religion which for the world he was content for a time to tollerate How did Q. Mary pay Cranmer and Ridley for pleading so hard to the King that she might haue a Masse Men must not thinke first to serve their owne turnes and then to serve Gods turne to goe on with policie making religion dance attēdance to it which indeed should serve religion is to set the Asse upon Christ and not Christ upon the Asse The disturbance and distraction of the Germanes which weakeneth them exceedingly against the common enemie ariseth especially from the toleration of diversitie of religion No thing as one saith well doth more combine the minds of men together then unitie of religion and nothing more dis-ioyneth them then diversitie of religion And it were good me thinke for the united Provinces to make up their union with unitie of religion And I may say boldly upon my former grounds made good by instances that they indanger themselues most by toleration of diversitie of religion Besides the multitude of idols in their houses whereof they make no bones though thereby they keep life in Poperie what a confused chaos of heresies what a State renting breach of Schismaticall divisions with a hotch-potch of opinions are to be found with them wherin to their blemishes they are holden the Antesignans or ring-Leaders through the world so that it is growne to a proverbe If a man had lost his religion he might find it at Amsterdam Which proverb I think may rather be inverted thus If a man bring any religion to Amsterdam he had best take heed he loose it not for reason and experience makes this position good that a place of opposition is not so dangerous to Religion as that place where for Religion every man may doe what he list They must not think that their manner of government or necessitie of trading or any other thing will serue to tolerate this toleration against the Law of God and nature the office of the Magistrate the example of the enemy and the evill ensuing on it I wish they may obserue and ponder together with the aim of their cruel enemy who looketh for more advantage out of this evill then out of any other thing Where there be many Apes there be but a few men Many weeds a little corn So a small deale of true religion where is so much diversity of religion Where there is a Cachexia or evill habite of humours there is but a little good bloud so an evill habit of corruption taketh away the life of true Religion in which indeed consisteth the life of true policy I pray God they may look to it and that he would open our hearts from the head to the foot to look to it at home where Popery is as freely practised as if it had publique toleration and that by connivency which God will not winke at And because matching with Idolaters setteth up the greatest gate to idolatry and by consequence layeth us open to Gods heavy wrath as God himselfe doth witnesse Deut. 7.4 They will turne away thy sonn◠from following me that they may serue other gods so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and destroy you suddenly We must shut that floud-gate if we will not haue the plague come in and consume us I wonder how men can hold up their faces to speak for such Matches They are first flatly against the Word 2 Cor. 6.12 be not unequally yoked which the Doctors of Doway quote in their Marginall note upon Levit. 19 to condemn all matches with schismaticks and hereticks For confirmation whereof they cite Theodoret. Secondly the Lord taxeth such Matches as a high measure of sin instance in Ahab of whom it is said as if it had been a light thing to haue walked in the waies of his father 1 King 16.31 hee took to wife Iezabel who served Baal Thirdly of the evill effects of these Matches we need not goe no further then our own Nation It is reported in our Histories of Vortigern who Anno 450 at the perswasion of Hengist brought in a multitude of Saxons and marryed Rowen daughter to Hengist Intravit Satanas in cor eius Math. Westmonasteriens pa. 156. of whom it is said that the devill entred into his heart because being a Christian by profession he matched with
and therefore their patience and all other vertues were but glistering sinnes Naturall men may by the law of nature both doe and suffer things contayned in the law but if themselues be not under grace what shall it profit them if they would giue their bodyes to be burned in the fire Yea the patience of the heathen as it is without consolation so if their sufferings be prolonged it holds not out to the end for a spirt or fit if they be put to it they dare emounter with death and torments yea in this they haue proved desperately patient but through long continuance their resolution faileth them and through impatiencie of disgrace they become selfe murtherers Examples are frequent for all take that one of Mithridates who for the space of 50 yeares as I shewed had alwayes the better of of the Romans and had given them many great overthrowes he possessed Asia tooke their Legates proconsuls and cast them in bonds at last being overcome by Pompey at first he set a very faire face on it seeming to content himselfe that it was his lot to be vanquisted by the greatest Commander in the world and one whom he thought worthy to command the world but for all this his patience wanting root it could not grow he was in a kind of fever wherein men be cold without but hoat as fire within Epialis Febris which fire of impatientie he quenched with his vitall bloud shed by his owne hands And Pompey himselfe after his overthrow grew impatient against God But Christian patience the more it is tryed it is of the better proofe Yea this maketh the sufferings of the Saints not onely to be easie but also to be comfortable which indeed is a paradoxe to a naturall man It is strange to him that a man should picke any comfort out of sufferings which are so bitter to flesh and bloud therefore the wicked as Tertullian observeth in his time did deride the martyrs that they would suffer fire and fagot for they knew not what And so the worldlings of our time Apologet. cap. 46. wonder that Gods people will for some triviall controversies of religion as they call them loose goods possessions of inheritance honours and dignities put wife and children at randome and hazard life it selfe what comfort say they can they haue in this yes much every way if they be in Christ The worldling is a stranger to the nature of this patience for their tribulation bringeth patience and patience bringeth comfort and the worth of this jewel the cocke on dunghill doth not know As there be two kinds of Antidotes against poyson namely hot and cold so against tribulation and temptation there be two soveraigne Antidots prayer and patience the one hot and the other cold the one quenching the other quickinng And this may serve to giue a tast of the excellencie of patience for having so many things to handle I can giue but a tast of every thing As for the necessitie of patience it will appeare if you looke upon it selfe or our selues on the crosse and the issue wee expect As for it selfe since it is the soveraigne medicine against the evill of trouble it must needs be necessarie Magnum malum est non posse ferre malū Bias. That man saith one of the Sages is twice miserable that in his misery wanteth patience Secondly if wee weigh the crosse it is very heavy except it be corked with patience wee are not able to keepe head above water under it Heb. 12.11 No chastening saith the Spirit for the present seemeth to be ioyous but grievous Againe if we respect our selues eyther in our weaknesse or our drossines patience is necessarie for to support the one and to purge out the other Affliction is the purge but patience keepeth the place of nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it setteth the medicine kindly a worke and is the chiefe work-man otherwise the Phisicke would kill us Sometime a man is dispossessed of his owne heart by sudden impatience ere he be aware and therefore he had neede to possesse himselfe with patience Sometimes the heart is tossed like a ship on the waues against which the Apostle inarmeth the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2.2 be not soone shaken by patience againe it is established Sometime it is weake and faint and by the power of patience it is strengthened Observe the outbursts of the best of Gods Saints 1. King 19 4. Iere. 15.18 and wee shall see that wee haue more then need of patience Eliah desireth that he may dye Ieremy quarreleth with God for deceiving of him Iob 3.3.10 and Iob curseth the day of his birth Lastly if we looke to that which we looke for namely the promises Heb. 10.36 for ye had neede of patience that after yee haue done the will of God yee may receive the promise As for the motives of patience with follow in the third place they be many a few whereof I will lay down First the authour of the crosse should moue thee to patience and that is God whosoever is the instrument The Arrow is sharp indeed but who shot it The burthen is heavy but who laid it on Then bear it with patience and let that ease the smart Psal 39.39 The Prophet David with this did hedg himselfe in from impatiencie I am dumb and will not open my mouth because thou hast done it And thus he carryed Shemies curse 2 Sam. 16.10 Let him curse because the Lord hath said unto him curse David When God did consume with fire the sonnes of Aaron it is said that Aaron held his peace Lev. 10.3 no man can haue power over any of his except it be given him of God A second motiue thou maist take from thy selfe comparing that which thou dost suffer with that which thou deservest to suffer it is the mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed Thus David compareth his troubles with his trespasse and layeth down the one as a reason why he should beare the other Deliver me from all my trespasses put me not to the reproach of the foole then it followeth I am dumb as he would say It is thy doing Lord and thou mightest justly lay more upon me for my sin whereof I beg pardon and then lay on me what thou wilt so thou giue me patience Gregory hath a fit speech to this purpose Our sufferings shalt be the more easie In Registr◠if we call to mind our sinnes in our sufferings Thirdly consider the nature of the crosse as it is qualified to the godly the worst that it is it is but a furnace to try the gold and purge out the drosse Will not a man suffer the Phisitian to purge out his corruption Or the Chyrurgion with patience to corrode and cut out the corrupt flesh This life as Austin saith is the furnace affliction is the fire Iubeor ege tolerare norit ille purgare