THESE three bookes of Ierom. in pro­log. Galeat. Salomon, which onely of all those great & voluminous 1 Reg. 4.32, 33. works of his, the prouidence of GOD hath to this time preserued in the Canon of Scripture, are like the three Tabernacles, which S. Peter would haue had built vpon the Mountain, where his Master was Mat. 17.4. transfigured; one for Moses, one for Elias, and one for Christ.

This booke of Prouerbes, or Pa­rables, is like the Tabernacle of Moses, [Page 2] contayning matters morall and po­liticall: Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher, is like the Tabernacle of Elias, spark­ling with the fire of a sacred zeale, the light whereof discouers, and re­prehends the vanity of all things vnder the Sunne: But his Song, or rather The Song, Canticum Canticorū, is the Tabernacle of Iesus filled with that sweetnes, which none can con­ceiue but they that taste; with Reuel. 2.17. hid­den Manna, which onely Contempla­tion feedes on; with new names, which onely Contemplation reads; with new light, which onely Contem­plation discouers; and with new tones and raptures, which onely Contem­plation heares: Cant. 8.13. O thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken vnto thy voice, cause me to heare it.

But we must downe againe from this eminent height, and for this night take our rest, at the foote of Iacobs ladder, in this forrest of Pro­uerbs, amongst which (such is their nature and condition) Iansen. prolog. in comment. in Prou. you can ex­pect [Page 3] no dependance; nor neede wish any, euery line shewing Apelles his hand, and euery letter the wisdome of him, that had a 1 Reg 3.12. wise and vnder­standing heart, so that there was none like vnto him before him, neither after him shall arise the like vnto him.

For this particular, we see here Almighty God, (who in euery syllable of his word breathes freedome and royall maiestie, and is as sparing in those Non ego inor­nata & d [...]mi­nantia nomina solùm, Verba (que), Pisones, satyrarum scrip­tor amabo. Horat d [...]arte poet. dominantes sermones, spee­ches which will not be easily tran­slated from their first notion, as fre­quent in flourishing Allegories, both of necessitie and ornament) commen­ding vnto vs the wisdome of man, in his prouision and preparation for things necessary, but reseruing vnto himselfe the power and authoritie to dispose thereof: conformably to other places of scripture; Behold (saith Ier. 4.13. Ieremy) he shall come vp as the cloudes, and his charets shall be as a tempest; His horses are lighter than Eagles: Theres the wisdome of [Page 4] Nabuchad-nezzar, in parandis equis ad diem belli, in praeparing horses a­gainst the day of warre: yea but, saith Psal 33.16, 17. Dauid, The King is not saued by the multitude of an hoste, neither is the mighty man deliuered by his great strength; An horse is counted but a vaine help &c. Theres Gods praero­gatiue to crosse the greatest meanes, and to giue a blessing to the weakest, and most despised, when it shall please him to worke such Miracles: Dominus enim salutem tribuit, for it is he that giueth health, saluation, or victory.

So that you haue in this text one prouerbe iustified by an other; for here is, Man purposing, and God dispo­sing; or if you will, The commendable wisdome of man, and The comman­ding power of God; The one in prae­paring the horse against the day of bat­tell; The other in preseruing or gi­uing victory, with meanes, without meanes, against meanes: But salua­tion is of the Lord.

[Page 5]And with this plaine diuision, and the pursuite of these two points, I shall desire you will rest satisfied, without expecting, that I should spin my text out into so small threeds ( [...] Aristoph. in [...] Schol. [...]) as will neither be for the profit of your memories, in the wearing; nor the dignity of the subiect, in deliuering: For as Ep. 89. Seneca of Philosophy, so I of Scrip­ture, Diuidi in partes, non in frusta concîdi vtile arbitror, thinke it fit, 2 Tim 2.15. [...], to diuide it aright, and to distinguish it into his parts, but not to mince it into so small and invisi­ble Atomes, as if the whole body of Diuinitie were made of nothing else.

The horse] It is an ordinary figure in the language of Canaan, by speci­fying one part of anything, to inti­mate the whole: So you haue some­times a finger put a man; Esa. 2.8. They worship that which their owne fingers [Page 6] haue made: Sometimes a foote, Psal. 119.105 Thy word is a lanterne vnto my feete: Sometimes a hand, Iob. 4.3. Manus lass as ro­borasti, Thou hast strengthned the weake hands: and sometimes a head, Exod. 16.16. Gather of it (Manna) euery man ac­cording to his eating, an Omer for a head.

In like manner, it putteth, for the whole power and preparation of warre, sometimes no more than a Bow: Ierem 50.29. All you that bend the bow, be­siege yee Babel round about, let none escape: Sometimes only an Arrow, Perforabit eas sagittis suis, Num. 24.8. saith Balaam of Israel, He shall shoot them through with his arrowes: Sometimes onely a sword, Psal. 44.3. They got not the land in possession by their owne swords: Sometimes a shield only, 2 Sam. 1.21. For, there the shield of the mighty is cut downe: Sometimes Charets onely, 2 Reg. 19.23. By the multitude of my Charets I am come vp to the top of the mountaines, sayes Sennacherib by his messengers: And sometimes horses only, as Iosh. 11.6. [Page 7] I will deliuer them into thine hands, & equos eorum subneruabis, thou shalt hough their horses: And in these words of my Text, The horse is pre­pared against the day of battell. By which is ment not that this wisdom, counsell, and vnderstanding consi­steth in prouiding horses onely, nor peraduenture horses The question whether the seruice of foot or horse be more necessary or honorable (not falling properly vnder the decision of a Diuine) you shall finde ar­gued apud Ma­chiauel. dis [...]o [...]s. lib. 2. c. 18. & apud Iulium Fer­rettum lib. de antiq [...]. i [...]staur. & illustr. militia tit. 51. n. 53. & apud V [...]g [...]t. lib 2. cap. 1. chiefly against the day of battell; but generally, totum apparatum belli, all manner of prouision, men, munition, and (that which Q. Curtius, somewhat besides the good liking of Machian. Discors. lib. 2. cap. 10. Machiauel, calls the sinewes of warre) money, and what else soeuer the iudgement of man can foresee, to be any wayes necessary, either for an offensiue, or a defensiue warre, as the occasions shall most probably arise.

A point which the Wise-man thought fit to driue, like a nayle of the Sanctuary, into the knotty tim­ber of secure hearts, with many blowes, and therefore beside testimo­nium oris, the testimonie of his word, [Page 8] we haue also testimonium operis, his owne precedent and example, who when 1 Reg. 4.25. he had peace round about him, and all Iuda and Israel dwelt without feare, euery man vnder his vine and vnder his fig-tree, from Dan euen to Beersheba; yet at that time, besides the maintayning of his Nauy (the safest wall of a sea-bordering king­dome) he had Cities for store, and Cities where his Charets for warre were kept, and Cities where his soul­diers were garrison'd, and forty thou­sand horses alwaies in a readinesse, and twelue thousand horsemen continually in pay: And certainly, howsoeuer this policie escape our practise, yet (like all virtue, which laudatur & al­get) it cannot want our approbation, while that prouerbe of Ingrediare viā caelo licet vsque fereno, Ad subitas nun­quam scortea de­sit aquas. Mart. lib. 14. ep. 120. taking a cloake with vs in faire weather, shall be as well vnderstood, as generally vsed; the rather, because all times do abound in the examples of those, Hieron. dialog. aduers. Pelag. Qui dum non timent, in sereno pati­untur tempestatem, who are sodainly [Page 9] wracked before they see any appea­rance of danger.

Tis true: it was once prophesied of the dayes that were then to come, Esa. 2.4. Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres, They shall breake their swords into plough-shares, and their speares into sithes; But take away, [...], the couer of the letter, and you shall finde there no prohibition of the vse of weapons, and lawfull war, (much lesse of the due preparation thereunto;) Agit enim de pace interna, non externa. vide Aquin. 2.2 q. 40 art. 1. ad 3. But onely, a sweet and gracious promise of vnity, and spiri­tuall concord, betweene them who are, Gal. 6.10. [...], of the houshold of faith, and know themselues to bee brethren by grace, sonnes of the same father, God: children of the same mother, the Church: heires of the same hope, happines: and mem­bers of the same body, wherof Christ Iesus is the head; And indeede if all men were Rom 15 5. [...]. Homer Ilia [...]. 1. notetur [...] [...], like minded one towards an­other; or, as the same Apostle had [Page 10] fully expressed himselfe in the twelfth chapter and tenth verse of that Epistle to the Romans, not only [...], louing as brethren, but [...], kindly affectioned one towards another in bro­therly loue: Certainely then, Esa. 11.6, 7, 8. The wolfe might dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie with the kid, and the calfe, and the young lyon, and the fatling together, and a little childe might lead them; And the cow & the Beare might feede, their young ones might lie downe together, and the lyon might eat straw like the oxe; The sucking childe might play on the hole of the aspe, and the wea­ned childe might put his hand on the cockatrice den. But seeing that 2 Thess 3.2. all men haue not faith, and that Esa 57.20. the wicked are like the raging sea which cannot rest, wanting all peace, both externall, internall, and eternall: Surely, [...], that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men: It is not onely lawfull, but necessary to [Page 11] follow our Sauiours aduice, Luc. 22.36. Let him that hath no sword sell his coat and buy him one: lest it fall out with vs, as it did with the many thousands of Israel, 1 Sam. 13.22. When the day of battel came, there was neither sword, nor speare found in the hands of the people that were with Saul and Io­nathan.

Nor doth this preparation to war argue an indisposition to peace; (Peace, that blessing which as all o­ther, not onely Iames 1.17. ( [...]) per­fect gifts, but ( [...]) good giuings is from aboue, and commeth downe from the father of lights: Peace, August. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 19. cap. 11. qua nihil in rebus terrenis gratiosius solet audiri, nihil desiderabilius concupisci, nihil postremo potest melius inueniri: than which there can be nothing na­med with more willingnes, nothing wisht for with more heartinesse, no­thing found with more happinesse:

Peace, the best of earthly blessings giuen vnto mortality: more safe then any warre: more secure then any victory: more glorious then all triumphs:) No, no; Cyprian de Ieiun. Ordinatio diuina non est peccatorum obstetrix; we shall neuer find that any commandement of God, doth either directly or indi­rectly imply a necessity of sinning: Hee that professeth himselfe in his word, to be Sequester pacis, a Peace­maker, enioyning vs to Psal. 34 14. seeke peace & ensue it; cannot be, lest he should be vnlike himselfe, incentiuum belli, a stirrer vp of strife and sedition: But if you will be pleased to remember, that Exod. 17.16. warre with Amalek, is the condition of Israels peace: that Psal. 122.3. Ie­rusalem is built as a city that is at vnity in it selfe: And that as we are com­manded Rom 12 18. to haue peace with all men, with a double condition: First, [...], if it bee possible. Secondly, [...], for our part; So there are some with whom we may vpon no [Page 13] condition, either make Deut 7.2. & Iudg. 2.2. couenant, or Deut. 23.6. peace; For, Esa. 32.17. opus iustitiae pax, True peace is the fruit, the issue, the daugh­ter of Equity and Iustice: Then shall you see how farre the Danaeus ad D. August. de haere­ [...]ibus. cap. 22. Marcionites, Idem ibid. ad cap. 86. verum Tertull. excusa tur (nec immeri­tò) ab eius vin­dice Pamelio in comment. ad lib. de corona militis. Tertullianists, Anabaptists, and who­soeuer else condemneth the vse of the sword, (if managed by the hand of the Magistrate) are from that spi­rit which leads into all truth; an en­dowment wherof (though happily none of those [...], gifts which are without repentance) the Scripture hath alwayes acknow­ledged valour and fortitude in this kinde, to be.

When Israel in their necessity cri­ed vnto the Lord, and the Lord in his mercy gaue them Othniel the son of Kenaz, to saue them from the hands of their enemies; The Text sayth, that Iudg. 3.10. The spirit of the Lord came vpon him, and hee iudged Israel, and went out to warre.

Afterwards, when Gedeon was ap­poynted to fight the Lords battells [Page 14] against the Midianites & Amalekites, Iudg. 6.34. The spirit of the Lord came vpon him, and he blew a trumpet, & Abiezer was ioyned with him.

Againe, when Iephthah was cho­sen Generall against the children of Ammon, Iudg. 11 29.33. The spirit of the Lord came vpon him, and hee smote them from Aroer, till thou come to Minnith.

Moreouer, when Sampson was as­saulted by a Lyon, in the vineyards, as he was going downe to Timnath, Irruit in eum spiritus Domini: Iudg. 14.6. The spirit of the Lord came mightily vpon him, and he tore him, as one should haue rent a kid, and had nothing in his hand: And least it should be sayd, that this was but in his own defence against a beast, the same testimony is giuen as well when he slue the thirty men of Iudg. 14.19. Ashkelon, as when he destroyed a thousand with the Iudg. 15.14. iaw-bone of an Asse.

In like manner, when Saul had heard that Naash the Ammonite had besieged Iabesh Gilead, and would [Page 15] not hearken to any composition, without the thrusting out of all their right eyes, it is sayd, that 1 Sam. 11.6. The spirit of the Lord came vpon him, and he was exceeding angry.

As then it is beyond all question, that valour of this kinde is from the spirit of the Lord, so it shall not want impiety, to doubt, whether the vse of so excellent a gift, may be lawfull, iust, honourable, or no; Otherwise, to what purpose was Iuda, that vi­ctorious Tribe of Iuda, epitomized in its Patriarch, compared to a Lyon, the Hieroglyphicke of all fortitude? But because Gen. 49.9. His hand was to bee in the necke of his enemies? Iudah, as a Lyons whelp shalt thou come vp from the spoyle my sonne, hee shall lie downe, and couch as a Lyon, and as a Lyonesse; who shall raise him vp?

To what purpose did Deut. 33.20. Moses com­pare Gad to a Lyon, but because hee should catch for his prey the arme with the head?

Yea, to what purpose did Num▪ 23 24. Baalam [Page 16] in the spirit of prophesie, say of all the children of Israel, that they should rise vp as a Lyon, and lift themselues vp as a young Lyon? But because they should not lie downe till they had eaten of the prey, and till they had drunke of the bloud of the slaine? Let me be bold to say with De verb. Dom S ^t. Au­gustine, Militare non est delictum, sed propter praedam militare, peccatum est: Nec rempublicam gerere criminosum est, sed ideò agere, vt rem familiarem potiùs augeas, videtur esse damnabile: To goe to warre is no offence: but to doe it for loue of spoyle and ra­pine, is a greeuous sinne. To beare office in the Common-weale, is no blemish: but to doe it to the end to enrich a mans priuate coffers, is no lesse then damnable. For, as storms and tempests do naturally purge the aire; but accidentally hurt the fruits of the earth: So is it in a iust warre, whose naturall and intended effects are to 1 Sam 30. recouer our owne; 1 Chron. 19. to re­uenge iniuries: Gen. 14. to succour the di­stressed; [Page 17] 2 Reg. 3. to subdue rebels; 2 Reg. 23. to de­fend our owne land; Nehem. 4. De quibus omni­bus consule Aug. lib. 83. quaest. su­per Iosueq. 10. to maintaine true religion (for although there haue beene and are that question the propagation thereof by the sword, yet this was neuer doubted of, so it be vndertaken by those who haue ius belli) and lastly, to procure and establish peace:

Peace is the price and sufficient re­compence of all labour, warres and dangers. These I say are the natu­rall effects of a iust warre: But that amongst Souldiers Nulla fides pietas (que) viris qui castra sequ [...]ntur. Lucan. lib. 10. pro Castra, quidā legunt Claustra, inquit Gaudent. Merul. Memo­rab. lib. 2. c. 25. violence, cruel­ty, rapes, delight in blood, blasphe­my, and prophanenesse, are so fre­quent and ordinary, that they are now thought proper vnto the pro­fession, it may seeme vitium perso­narum non rei, the fault of the Nocendi cupi­ditas, vlciscendi crudelitas, im­placatus & im­placabilis ani­mus, feritas re­bellandi, libido dominandi, & si­qua sunt similia, haec sunt quae in bellis iure culpā ­tur. Aug. cont. Faust. Manich. lib. 22. cap. 74. per­sons, and not of that profession, than which I doe not finde any other [Page 18] more honoured in the whole booke of God; at the least if you interpret it an honor, that he who in these la­ter times hath bene called Deus pacis the God of peace, did in the dayes of olde call himselfe Dominus exer­cituum, the Lord of Hosts.

And had it not bene so, he would neuer haue suffered his owne spirit to haue entitled himselfe, Il maestro di guerra, The grand master of warre, Psal. 144.1. Blessed be the Lord my strength (saith Dauid) which teacheth my hands to fight and my fingers to battell.

Had it not bene so, the Scripture would neuer haue called CHRIST, the Iosh. 5.14. Captaine of the Lords armie.

It would neuer haue called the Angells souldiours: Iob 25.3. Nunquid est numerus militum suorum? Is there any number in his armies? and at the incarnation of our Sauiour mustred them in a band of Luc. 2.13. heauenly soul­diours.

It would neuer haue called the CHVRCH a squadron of armed [Page 19] men, Cant. 6.3. Thou art beautifull, my loue, as Tirzah, comely as Ierusalem, terrible as an Army with banners.

It would neuer haue called a BISHOP a Souldiour, 2 Tim. 2.3. Videmur remissis & fluentibus [...]unicis, fed habe­ [...]us militiae no­strae cingulum, quo castimoniae interiora con­stringuntur. Ang de verb. Dom ser. 19. Thou there­fore suffer hardnes, or euill ( [...]) as a good souldiour of Iesus Christ.

It would neuer haue called a Chri­stian a Souldior, Eph. 6.11. Put vpon you ther­fore the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Deuill.

Nay, it would neuer haue called euery man a souldiour, Iob 7.1. vers vulg. Militia est vita hominis super terram, The life of a man vpon earth is a warrefare: For although as Apud Hug. in Psal. 57. Augustine and Ruffinus affirme, similitudes in the book of God be sometimes drawne à rebus non amandis, from euill things, and applyed vnto those that are good, as from the vniust Iudge to God Luc. 18. yet As Dominus exercituum, the Lord of Hosts. Titles, or [...] (as Basil calls them) you shall neuer finde ascribed either to holy men, or to the most Holy (if bor­rowed [Page 20] onely) saue from things in their owne nature good, and ap­proued.

But what neede wee striue so much to expresse and wring iuyce from symbolicall Diuinitie, which sel­dome concludes, when waters suffi­cient to quench our greatest thirst of knowledge, do so plenteously gush from the rocke of the word? Or shall curiositie seeke out another Do­ctor while it is in the chaire? Habes oracula Dei? ne moreris alium Doctorem; Nemo te docebit quemadmod [...]m illa. Chrysost. in Coloss. Hom. 9. Theres none can teach vs so truly, none more plainely. With how great eui­dence do the Scriptures proue that the husbandman so soone as he had chosen out a Vineyard, hedged it, ma­king his care equally ancient, of fen­cing, and planting it? Are they not as exact, (though peraduenture not so plenteous) in the affaires of the Army, as in the businesse of the Sanctuary?

Will you see modum indicendi bel­lum, a prescript forme of denoun­cing warre? (A matter of much re­gard [Page 21] and cerimony amongst the anci­ent De quo vide [...] Dionis Halicarn. lib. 1. & Liu. lib. 1. & Agell. lib. 16. c. 14. Romanes:) see Deut. 20 10.

Will you see delectum militū, the choise of souldiours? see Exod. 17.9.

Will you see sacramentū militare, the oath of obedience from a Soul­diour to his Captaine? see Iosh. 1.16, 17.

Will you see Colonells, and Cap­taines? looke Num. 31.14.

Will you see the sounding of an All'arme? looke Num. 10.5, 6.

Will you see the order of a Camp, and how the Army is quartered? looke Num. 2.

Will you see a March, who haue the Van, and who the Riere? looke Num. 10.14. &c.

Will you see a Councell of warre? looke the same Chap. vers. 4.

Will you see a City besieged? looke Iosh. 6.

Will you see a City releeued? looke Iosh. 10.9.

Will you see an Ambush laid? look Iosh. 8.9.

[Page 22]Will you see a prey taken, and re­couered? looke 1 Sam. 30.

Will you see the spoile diuided? look Num. 31.27. But what should I stand wearying you with repeti­tion of watches, spies, battels, skirmi­shes, defeates, supplies, stratagems, and six hundred things of like nature? wherevnto the blessed spirit hath euery where in Scripture giuen, not only approbation, but direction, as­suming to himselfe the honor both of the command, and execution; Psal. 18.34. He teacheth my hands to fight, so that a bowe of brasse is broken with mine armes, saith Dauid; yea, I weaken the loynes of Kings, I open the dore be­fore him, and the gates shall not be shut, for I will breake the brazen dores and burst the iron barres, saith Iehouah of himselfe, Isay 45.1, 2.

From all which, it easily results, that as by the law of nature it was permitted vnto man and implanted in his heart, to oppose violence with violence, art with art, and cunning [Page 23] with cunning, vt fortis impiugat in fortem, Ier. 46.12. that the strong might stumble against the strong, and the armed man against him that was armed: So in the statutes and ordinances which God gaue by Moses for the reforming of the degenerate and counterfeit manners of his people, he confirmed vnto them the lawful­nesse thereof, he ordered the circum­stances, and professed himselfe Gene­rall of all such warres as were made at his command. Nor did Es. 9.6. the Prince of peace, at his comming, ab­rogate this, as ceremoniall, amongst those Heb 9 10. [...], carnall rites which were enioyned vntill the time of reformation, nor dishearten the practise thereof in his seruants, as though it had beene of the Iudicialls, peculiar only (by way of command) to the then [...] and Common­wealth of the Iewes, to vs though not Mortua sed non mortif. ra. Aq. 12 ae. q 104. art. 3. c. deadly, yet dead, except quick­ned and reuiued by the higher powers, who haue command of the [Page 24] sword. The contrary appeares by that which the Baptist enioynes the souldiours, Euangelium nō abolet ordines po­liticos, quales sunt publicanorū & militum, sed officia iustitiae à singulis requirit. Errant igitur Anabaptistae, qui putant hominem Christianum non posse bona c [...]nsci­entia militare. Piscat. in loc. Luc. 3.14. not to leaue their profession, but to do violence to no man, nor accuse any falsly, and to be content with their wages. By that which Christ himselfe attests vnto the Centurion, Mat. 8.10. who publi­shed his calling, and from thence drew an argument to strengthen his faith, Verily I say vnto you, I haue not found so great faith, no not in Israel. And by that which afterwards his Act. 10.2. Apostle writes of Cornelius the Cap­taine of the Italian band, that he was A deuout man, and one that feared God with all his house &c. which three­fold argument, we are thus taught to inforce, by Hom. in Mat. 8. Chrysostome, Lib. de corona militis c. 11. Ter­tullian, Ep. 5. ad Mar­cellinum. Augustine, Orat. in Gor­dium mart. Basil, and (because Ennius. Hostē qui feriet mihi erit Carthaginiensis) Tom. 1. lib. 3. de Laicis cap. 14, 15, 16. Bellarmine, Contr. Haereses v [...]rbo Bellum. Alphonsus à Castro, and Tom 3. disp. 3. q. 16. pun [...]. 1. Gregory de Valentia.

To all which doctrinalls, I might adde the practise of the primitiue [Page 25] Church, in the age next after Christ, which was richly enameled with the bloud of infinite Martyrs of this pro­fession, as Sebastian, Maurice Chryso­gomus, Victor, Pantaleon, Gorgonius, and the whole legion of the Thebans, with many more, whose names and sufferings are euerie where obuious, and vpon record in the Histories of the Church. But (me thinkes) I haue beene alreadie too profuse in this argument, especially to you, and such as know that howsoeuer the name of a Souldier, be at this time ridiculous among secure fooles, and contemptible among such birds of peace, as cannot abide the Drumme, sauing in a Morris-dance, nor the Trumpet, but in Triumph; yet euen in this generation,

There is neuer a Paris, neuer a Car­pet-Knight (howsoeuer hee would thinke [...], a roaring friend lesse terrible, than the face of an armed foe) but with a greedie [Page 26] ambition, snatcheth at those honors, which were at first giuen to Souldi­ers, to them onely, and still retayne their Denomination and Titles from thence.

Of all these see M ^r Selden in his titles of Honour. A Dukedome was a militarie ho­nour, giuen per vexilli traditionem, by the deliuering of an ensigne, ban­ner, or penon into his hands, with intimation that hee should bee vali­ant, wise, and circumspect in the lea­ding and commaund of the Souldi­ers, committed vnto him for the de­fence of the borders and territories: so was a Marquisate, an Earledome, a Baronie, together with the honour of being made Knights and Esquires, as their verie names of Duces, Equi­tes, Armigeri, &c. doe sufficiently proue, though now the sayling by that compasse bee much discredited, in respect of a new-found passage, a more compendious and lesse dan­gerous way lately discouered; but where Aiax his reproach of Vlisses, doth iustly meete with most of the Passengers.

The more our miserie that are fal­len vpon this effeminate age, and the greater iniury to that honourable pro­fession, which is not onely scorn'd, but rob'd. The time hath been, when Warre was accounted Synes. Ep. 104. [...], An exact tri­all of a braue spirit; but now that touch-stone hath lost his propertie, for Hose. 4.14. cum Meretricibus conuersantur, they keepe companie with Harlotts, and sacrifice (their dearest bloud) to Whores; but populus non intelligens vapulabit: The people that doth not vnderstand shall fall.

The time hath beene when a well ordered campe, was accounted a Schoole of Vertue, where was profest and taught, preparation to death, con­tinence, vigilance, obedience, hardnesse, and frugalitie both in meat and appa­rell: But now that Hose. 4.11. Whoredome, and Wine, and new-Wine haue taken away our hearts; now that wee haue [Page 28] turned Memento mori, the meditati­on of death, into Viue hodie, an Epicurean and sensuall life: now that we are growne from absorbentes vinum, swallowing of Wine, to bee Es. 28.7. Absorpti a vino, swallowed vp of Wine: Surely now, the neglect of the Lessons, hath brought & wrought the contempt and disgrace of the Schoole.

The time hath beene, when a­mongst our selues, wee haue beene so iealous of our honours, that the Ie. Sarisburi­ensis nug. cur. li. 6 cap. 18. Kentishmen would not haue sold their prerogatiue of beeing in the Vaunt-gard, nor they of Wiltshire, Cornewall, and Deuonshire, of beeing in the Arriere-gard, at any reaso­nable price: But now he is accoun­ted the wisest, that can keepe him­selfe furthest [...] out of daun­ger; and he the most valiant, that can take 2. Reg. 14.10 Iehoash his counsell to A­maziah, euen to bragge of Victory and tarrie at home.

Let it therefore suffice, and con­tent [Page 29] vs, (as it will do any man who dares for truths sake, Ne examenu [...] improbum in illa Castiges trutina. Pers. sat. 1. stemme the tide of the multitude) that howso­euer these wanton and womanish times, vndervalew the lawfull, neces­sary, honourable profession of Armes, yet GOD himselfe hath graced it, our Sauiour hath approued of it, the Apostles haue commended it, the Saints haue pra [...]tised it, the Fathers haue praised it, our Ancestors haue gloried in it, our Land hath beene re­nowmed by it, and euen those Nahum. 3.17 crow­ned locusts, and captaine-Grashoppers, which campe in the hedges in the cold day, but when the Sunne ariseth flee away, and their place is not knowne where they are, are glad, and proude to feede vpon the leaues, and titles, knowing themselues vnable and vn­worthy to reach the fruit and honor thereof. Onely, let me be your Re­membrancer, that whatsoeuer I haue said of the lawfulnesse, necessitie, and praise of warre, is but so farre forth true, as the warre it selfe shall be iust, [Page 30] whereunto there are these three ma­teriall circumstances required. First, Aquin. 2.2 ae. q. 40. art. 1. c. vt recta sit intentio bellantium, that both stocke and branch, Comman­der and priuate Souldiour, do euery one in their degree and order vnder­take it with a right intention, not that one warre may draw on ano­ther, nor that bloud m [...]y touch bloud; but in the middest, of warre, our in­tentions ought to be peaceable, con­trary to them, who Psal 55.21. haue peace in their mouthes, and warre in their hearts; for when we haue warre in our hands, we must haue peace in our hearts, Aug. ep. ad Bonifac. vt eos quos expugnamus, ad pacis vtilitatem vincendo perduca­mus, that by our victory we may in­uest them, whom wee ouercome, with the benefit of it.

Secondly, to a iust warre there is required Authoritas Principis, the command of the Prince whosoeuer he be, that hath Rom. 13.1. [...], that same transcendent power (which Vlpian calls imperium merum) of life [Page 31] and death: let him be a Pagan, an Haeretike, or a Tyrant, yet still (though not modus potestatis, the manner of the power) potestas est à Deo, the power is of God; and therefore saith in Psal. 142. Augustine of the souldiours of Iulian the Apostata, that though they would not sacrifice to Idols at his command, yet when he diuided them into Companies, and placed them vn­der Captaines, and led them against the enemy, they most willingly and readily obeyed: The lawfull commaund therefore of a lawfull Magistrate is the second qualification of a iust warre, without which (by whomso­euer vndertaken) it is but a sedition, conspiracy, tumult, commotion, or a re­bellion, and accordingly shall receiue its iudgment.

Thirdly, there is requisite vnto a iust warre, causa iusta, a iust cause of warre: whereof hauing spoken somewhat already, I will adde onely this, that it doth not belong (not­withstanding) to euery priuate man, [Page 32] to make too curious a disquisition into the causes and occasions of his Soueraignes command: (reasons of state and policie sometimes inioyning secrecy therein, and the brest of the Prince sometimes more sensible, than the heart of the subiect is capa­ble;) For if a iust man (saith Cont. Faust. Man. lib. 22. cap. 75. Si vir iustus, sub Rege, homine etiam sacrilego, milite [...], rectè po­test, illo iub [...]nte bellare, ciuicae pa­cis ordinem ser­uant; modò quod iubetur vel non sit contra Dei praeceptum, vel vtrùm sit, certum non sit. Au­gustine) do serue vnder a sacrilegious King, he may well and safely goe to warre at his command, and obey him in all ciuill affaires; prouided, that what is by the Prince commanded, either be not against the commandement of God, or that he (the subiect) know not whe­ther it be or no, (that is, doubt it not, or call it not into question, for Quid perdo, si credo, quia bonu [...] est, si incertum est vtrum sit ma­lus? Aug. in Ps. 147. why should he stretch his suspicion be­yond his knowledge?) Ita vt for­tasse Regem reum faciat iniquitas im­perandi, innocentem autem militem ostendat ordo seruiendi; so that it may be, the iniustice of the command, may make the King guilty, and yet the souldiours obedience may plead him in­nocent. And thus farre haue I gone, [Page 33] (I hope not out of the way) to shew the lawfulnes and necessitie of war, because as all preparation to vnlaw­full things is euill, so to vnnecessary is vnprofitable. And now we come to the preparation it selfe.

So that the wisdome of man doth not only looke after, equum, a horse, but equum paratum, a horse prepared or made ready, and that cannot be ex­cept they be ready horse: For take a horse out of the studde (so the Irish call those equos gregales which the ancient Graecians called [...]) of how generous and excellent a breede and stomacke soeuer, yet its knowne how fearefull and timorous he is at first, Tales Grae [...]i [...] ap­pellabant. [...] [...], & [...] timor. afraid of euery noyse, and at euery motion, starting aside like a broken bow: Afterward when he is in hand, & applied vnto the manger, ( [...]), though he be a creature of [Page 34] wonderfull docilitie, yet he is vnru­ly, ticklish and proud.

Nay when he hath admitted a rider, because he cannot shake off his ca­riage, still he leapes, and bounds, and kicks, Psal. 32.9. he hath no vnderstanding, his mouth must be holden (chamo & frae­no) with bitt and bridle least he come neere thee, and for a long time hee continues [...] aut diffici­lis, qui ne tactum quidem aut [...]til­lationem ( [...]) pati queat. Si [...] appel­lat Xenoph. in lib. [...]. disobedient, vnready, and vnseruiceable. But lastly,

when he is growne gentle, willing, strong, vsefull, and ready, yet if he haue not beene accustomed, as the same Poet speakes

Ferre rotam: to the Drum and Trumpet, to fire, smoake, dust, noyse, shoutes, cryes, blowes, the Fulgor armorū. light­ning of the weapons, and the Iob 39.25. thun­der of the Captaines; surely, he may well be equus paratus, a ready horse, but not prepared against the day of bat­tell: No there is still more diffe­rence betweene them two, than inter equum sagmarium,

betweene a sumpter horse, and a horse of seruice; for Es. 9.5. euery battell is with confused noise, and garments rolled in bloud: Ierem. 47.3 & 8.16. There is rushing of charets, rumbling of wheeles, snorting of horses, and neighing of strong ones; which if custome and vse haue not softned, sweetned, and made fami­liar vnto a horse, Zech. 12 4. he will be strooken [Page 36] with amazement, and his rider with madnesse, and both together will flee as fast out of the battell, as the 2 Reg. 7.6. Sy­rians ranne from their tents before Samaria at their supposed hearing a noyse, of charets, horses, and a great Hoste.

Onely, when Ier. 46.4. The buckler and shield is ordered, when men draw neere to battell, when the horsemen get vpon the harnessed horses, when they stand forth with their helmets, fourbish the speares, and put on the brigandine, so that the Ier. 50.42. horses are put in aray like men; then are they prepared against the day of battell: for then Iob 39.21, 22. &c. Their necks are clothed with thunder, and the glory of their nosthrils is terrible: They paw in the valleyes, and reioyce in their strength: They go on to meete the armed men; They mocke at feare and are not affrighted, neither turne they backe from the sword; The quiuer ratleth against them, the glittering speare and the shield; They swallow the ground with [Page 37] fiercenes and rage, neither beleeue they that it is the sound of the trumpet; They say among the trumpets, Ha, ha; They smell the battell a farre of, and the noyse of the Captaines and the shou­ting.

By this time me thinks, as S. Paul demanded of himselfe, 1 Cor. 9.9. [...], Hath God any care of oxen? so there are some of you ready to aske of me, hath God so great care of horses? But I told you before, that vnder the name of horses was vnder­stood totus belli apparatus, all, and all manner prouision of warre; and so I hope their wisdome vnderstandeth it, whom it especially concerneth to haue a generall and vniuersall care thereof; for our parts, since God hath likened Ioel 2.4. strong men to horses; and wisdome compared Wisd. 19.9. good men to horses; and Origen. in E [...]. 15. hom. 6. Origen hath affir­med, that all men are horses: Let it be lawfull for me to say that Soul­diours are a principall part, that your selues are a great part of the Cauallery [Page 38] here spoken of, and consequently that vnto you, there is commended a twofold praeparation against the day of battell. The one is internall, to qualifie the minde, the other is exter­nall, to enable the body; the one is valour and courage, the other is pra­ctise and exercise. Of these two, and no more to this point. But naming valour or fortitude, I first protest a­gainst all these aequiuocall intruders and vsurpers vpon that noble title, as vncapable (whilest so) of this qua­lification: namely the lusty, or rather lustfull adulterers, that pretend to valour, because they can Ier. 5.8. tanquam equus emissarius vnusquisque hinnire ad vxorem proximi sui, neigh like fed horses, euery man after his neigh­bors wife. Secondly, the Drunkards, that lay claime to it, because they can drinke like horses, Esa 5.22. they are migh­ty to drinke wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drinke. Thirdly, the Thrasonicall Braggers, Qui virtutem verba putant, vt lucum ligna, that [Page 39] thinke by great words to bragge themselues into an opinion of va­lour, but whom experience shall finde to be

as Lions in their roaring, so hares and not horses in the day of battell. Fourthly and lastly, all stabbing Ioabs, and puntilious duellists, qui occident virum in vulnus suum, & adolescen­tulum in liuorem suum, that like Gen. 4.25. La­mech, will kill a man to their woun­ding, and a young man to their hurt, Gen. 49.7. Cursed be their wrath, for it is fierce, and their anger for it is cruell. But these, and those being cashierd, and the lift of the Army by this meanes reduced (with Iud 7 7. Gedeons) from two and thirty thousand, to three hundred; them that remaine behinde I let to know, that the valour required and expected at their hands, consists in

• 1. Willingnesse to vndergo dan­ger for the publike good.
• 2. Constancy to beare it.
• 3. Wisdome to manage and de­port [Page 40] themselues therein.

1. Willingnesse in vndergoing, to exclude timiditie; for ineui­table danger makes Cowards bold, and despaire of safety makes the fearefull Hart hold the hounds at bay: But Qui sponte obtulistis de Israel animas vestras ad pericu­la, benedicite Domino, say Iud. 5.2. De­borah and Barok, you that offered your selues willingly for the a­uenging of Israel, praise you the Lord.

2. Constancy in bearing it, to auoide a fastidious wearinesse, for as, Dulce bellum inexpertis, warre is sweete to them that neuer tasted it; so there are many, that how­soeuer, in affectation of nouelties, they runne rather headlong than willingly into the danger thereof, yet when they haue tasted the discommodities of hunger, cold, watchings, labours, and wounds; they suffer the terrors of warre with a troubled minde; But he was wise [Page 41] that said, Torm [...]nta a me abesse velim; sed fi sustinenda fueriut vt me in illis forti [...]èr, ho­nestè animosè ger [...]m, optabo: Quid nî malim non incid [...]re in bellum? sed fi in­cido, & v [...]lnera & fame [...], & omnia quae bello­rum necessitas adfert, generosè feram, non op­tabo. Sen. Ep. 57. he would not rashly engage himselfe into any dangers: yet when they were necessarily to be vndergone, he would wish to beare them, cheere­fully, honestly, couragiously: hee would not desire warre, but being prest by necessity, he would demeane himselfe becommingly amidst hunger and wounds and all other companions thereof.

Thirdly, Wisedome and iudgement, how to demeane themselues there­in, to acquite them from temeritie; for as a constant boldnesse doth erect and quicken wisedome and skill, so doth skill and wisedome direct and qualifie that, as you may see in him, who was a better soldiour than a Man, I meane Ioab: It was not possi­ble for a man to expresse it better than he did in that straite and exi­gent, where the 2. Sam. 10 9. Ammonites and Syrians charged him both in the front and the riere at once; when suddenly he diuided his army, and gaue a great part thereof into the [Page 42] hands of his brother Abishai, to en­counter the Ammonites, and him­selfe in the meane time gaue on vpon the Syrians; but with this di­rection to his brother, If (saith he) the Syrians be to strong for me, then thou shalt helpe me; and if the Chil­dren of Ammon be too strong for thee, I will come and helpe thee.

Now, although this Wisedome and Iudgement in Martiall affaires, be of the blood royall, yet like 2. Sam. 4.4. Mephibo­sheth it hath caught a fall, and is lame on its feete, vnable to goe further than it shall be caried by practise and experience, which is the outward pre­paration of a man against the day of battell. For as blood is the Chariot of the spirits, so is practise and ex­ercise to this Triumphant valour the Throne where shee sits and com­mands, and (where God is not plea­sed to vse his royall prerogatiue to worke without meanes or against meanes) like God himselfe Wisd. 8 1. Attin­git a fine ad finem fortiter, & dis­ponit [Page 43] omnia suauiter, she reacheth from one end to another mightily, and sweetly doth shee order all things: And in this respect, you must call to minde what I speake to the letter of the Text, concerning a horse; and consider the relation inter fundamentum & terminum, be­tweene him, and what we heere im­ply by him, a man, for this is the indi­uiduum wherein the similitude con­sists, this the point wherein the pre­paration of men is especially like the preparation of horses against the day of battell. For were men as strong as Hercules or Sampson; as wise as So­crates or Salomon; as politique as Vlisses or Achitophel; as valiant as Achilles or Dauid; as swift as [...]. Apollon Argo­naut. lib. 1. Talem etiaem re­fert Calpurn Ec­log. 4. qui, — Viridi sic ex­ultauit in aruo, Tangeret vt fra­giles sed non cur­uaret aristas. Poly­phemus or Asahel; yet if they were not trained vp to the Discipline of warre, though as the sand of the Sea in number, they would be but (as Demaratus the Lacedemonian told Apud Senec. de Benefic. lib. 6. ca. 31. Xerxes of his numerous or rather innumerable army) multitudo indi­gesta, [Page 44] & grauis, & metuenda ducenti, an indigested and disordered multi­tude and fearefull indeede, rather to their leaders than their enemies: If they were not acquainted with words of command, In the greatest extremity, they would be like the builders of Gen 11.6. Babel, they would not vnderstand one anothers speach: If they were not familiar with the vse of their Armes, they would say of them in the day of battell, as Dauid said of Sauls armor when it was girt vnto him, 2. Sam. 17.39. I cannot go with these, for I am not accustomed; and if they were not enured (though but [...]) to noise and clamour, to shouting and grones, to the roaring of the Ar­tillery and the thunder of the small-shot, to the sight of wounds, and the apprehension of death in his most horrid shapes; The first man that fell by the hand of an enemy would, like the carcasse of 2. Sam 20.12. Amasa, make the whole army stand still in their march, vntill he were remoued out [Page 45] of the way: so great necessity is there of preparing both man and beast a­gainst the day of battell.

This saw well the eye that seeth all things, who intending to make of his people a mighty Nation, terrible abroad and inuincible at home, ( Non enim ex corporis imfirmi­tate, sed a pec­cato vinceban­tur, si quando victi fuiss [...]nt. Chrysost. hom. 14. ad p [...]p. An­tioch. sa­uing when their sinnes sharpened the sword of his vengeance against them) did traine them vp, vnder Chiefetains of his owne choise, from Brick-makers and labourers to Ty­rones, and from thence to Soldiours, and from that to be men of such practise and experience, that euery one of them was able to lead an Army, as it is said of those 1. Chr. 12.38. three hundred and two and twenty thousand which came vp to Hebron to make Dauid king ouer Israel.

And this saw likewise they, that could see no further then nature and reason did enable them; the Ro­manes, who being to oppose their fewnesse against the multitude of the French: their indifferent and meane [Page 46] statures, against the giant-like talnesse of the Germanes: their weake-nesse, against the strength of the Spaniards, their pouerty, against the riches of the Africans: and their plainnesse, against the policie of the Graecians: In all these difficulties had no other stratagem, nor hope of victory, than Veget. lib. 1. cap. 1. ( Tyro­ronem solerter eligere, ius armorum docere, quotidiano exercitio roborare; quaecun (que) euenire in acie, at (que) in praelijs possunt, omnia in campestri meditatione praenoscere, seuerè in desides vindicare) to make exact choise of their Soldi­ours, to teach them the law of armes, to confirme them with daily exer­cise, to acquaint them in their dril­lings and trainings, with whatsoeuer things are wont to fall out in the bat­tell, and to punish seuerely those whom they found backward, lazie, or negligent of their discipline. Which maketh me the lesse to won­der at the strange and almost incre­dible victories atchieued by either of them, the Iewes driuing out before [Page 47] them on euery side, people that for their numbers were as the starres of heauen; for their strength were as Giants the sonnes of Anak; and for their fortifications, had Cities with wals as high as Heauen: and the Ro­manes, in their period, growing from a few sheophard-like Cottagers to be Lords and proud owners of almost all the inhabitable World which was knowne vnto them. For certainly, if ( Iustinian, in proem Institut. leges & arma fraternizant) laws and armes be brothers, as an Empe­rour hath told vs: their neere alli­ance and equality ( nam doctor & mi­les aequiperantur) consists not only in those foure proportionals, which the Glosse vpon that place points at; but especially in that, both in the one and the other, Omnes artes in meditatione consistunt. there is no ex­cellence attained but by exercise; no perfection but by practise; which induceth me to belieue, (neither without reason nor authority) that as the Israelites had Schooles of Pro­phets at 1. Sam. 19.18.19.20. &c. Naioth in Ramah; So they [Page 48] had (somewhere) of Soldiours too, for Non exercebuntur vltrà ad praeli­um, saith Esay 2.4 vulg. Esay: They shall not be exercised any longer to the battell: & non discent vltrà belligerare, They shall not learne to make warre any more saith Micah. 4.13. Micah: By which diffe­rent translations of the same originall phrase, we may at least, see this, that discere belligerare est exerceri ad praeli­um, to learne to make warre, is to be exercised, or prepared against the day of battell.

But supposing it vncertaine of the Iewes; It cannot be denied of the Romanes, whose Campus Martius was their Grammer Schoole, and whose Campes were their Vniuersi­ties; In the one they were taught pugnare to fight; in the other bellare to make warre: Rosinus Antiq. Rom. lib. 6. ca. 11. Et Veget. de re milit. lib 1. cap. 10.11.12. &c. In the one they were brought vp to runne, to leape, Caesim & pun­ctim ferire ibid. Illud v [...]ro maius est quiddam, or­dines seruare dis­cunt, v [...]xillū sun̄ in tantis permix­tionibus, in ipsa prolusione c [...] ­mita [...]tur; nec in­ter doctos aliquis error existit, cùm multitudinis sit tanta confusio. to strike, to thrust, to defend, to shoote, to cast darts, to throw stones, to swimme, At (que) omnes implere nume­ros. But in the other they were in­structed [Page 49] ad maius quiddam (as Veget tells vs lib. 2. cap. 23.) somewhat further, namely to keepe their rankes, to fight in array, and in the greatest tumult and confusion, not to forsake their Colours: there likewise (according to their deferts, and the vacancie of the places) they commenced and were prefer­red to be Serieants, Ensignes, Lieu­tenants, Captaines, Ad opes &c. dignitates ordo militiae, & Impe­ratoris iudicium cōsueuit euehere. Veget. lib. 2. c. 24. & Lucanus lib. 6. de Scaeua Cen­turione. Scaeua viro no­men, castrorum in plebe merebat. Ante feras Rho­dani gentes; ibi sanguine multo Promotus, lattā longo gerit or­dine vilem. or what other offices and places of Command in their discipline were sutable and cor­respondent to these. And when they were thus acquainted with termes of Commaund; when they were thus enured to hardnesse, by watchings, spare dyet, and sleeping (according to the French prouerbe) à l'enseigne de l'estoille, at the signe of the starre; when they were thus accustomed to the vse of their weapons both defensiue and offensiue; then did they hold themselues more assured with a few, than with infinite millions of such as either had neuer [Page 50] seene, or neuer learned any thing, ( Sen. ep. 36. elementares senes, Abecedary old men, (for Post quanta volueris stipen­dia inexercitatus miles semper est Tyro. Veget. lib. 2. c. 23. Immò pro Tyronibus etiam habiti qui diu in pace dura­runt, quique pug­nare longo tem­pore desierunt. Idem lib. 3. c. 9. tum ij quoque qui homines nunquā viderunt vulne­vari aut occidi. ibid. cap. 10. It is not time but exercise makes a souldiour) whose greatest numbers haue alwaies beene noted to be rather exposed to slaughter, by disbanding and breaking their ar­ray, than confident of victory by preseruing inviolable that discipline, which they neuer learned, or at least had not practised. This Pompey (though by the testimonie of his e­nemy, one that knew better how to ouercome, than how to vse the victo­ry) found too true by experience, in the battel of Pharsalia, where, thogh he had double the numbers of Cae­sar

[Page 51] yet knowing them to be not legio­nary souldiours, as Caesars were, but a mixture of barbarous nations, rather relying vpon their multitude than their discipline and valour; he wisely purposed to protract the warre, and by robbing his enemies both of sea and land to haue wrested from them an vnbloody victory; but when he saw it no longer possible to with­hold the vntaught rage of inexperi­enced men, from giuing battell to Caesar — stat corde gelato Attonitus; — his heart for­sooke him with feare and amaze­ment, knowing vpon how vn­aequall termes they mette: and prae­saging, that (which accordingly ensued) they who were so hasty to fight, would be as headlong in their flight, so loosing themselues, and discouraging others. And in­deed, what could a man expect at their hands, who howsoeuer rich in clothes, yet base and effaemi­nate in spirit, are not able to [Page 52] [...]? Lu [...]i [...]n. [...]. sustaine thirst, and heate, and dust, trembles to heare of an enemy, are amazed at his presence, swound at the sight of bloud, and die before they come within the reach of their Artillery?

How much better that Militiae art [...] ­fex. Flor. lib. 1. cap. 18. Maister of warre, Tullus Hostilius? who to set an edge vpon Courage, that it might cut euen whetstones, did or­daine (which was with much eare and iealousie obserued, during the flourishing estate of that Republicke) that not onely there should be a generall suruey of all the foote and horse once in a yeare, Liu. Decad. 1. lib. 9. at what time they should be transported beyond Tyber, and there mustered; Polyb. lib. 10. but that at home and abroad, in the City, and in hibernis & castris, in their gar­risons and campes, they should be daily exercised, as well, viritim, man by man, as in acie, in aray of battell; knowing that Veget. lib. 1. c. 1. scientia rei bellicae di­micandi nutrit audaciam; Nemo fa­cere metuit, quod se benè didicisse [Page 53] confidit, knowledge how to do, adds to the boldnesse and willingnesse of doing, and by familiarity with dan­ger, the feare of it, at length growes obsolete: whereas on the contrary side, Cassiodor. lib. 1. variar. c. 40. Animos subitò ad arma non eri­gunt, nisi qui se ad ipsa idoneos, prae­missa exercitatione confidunt, there's no man can with cheerefulnes and alacrity vndertake that, whereunto he knowes himselfe vnfit, for want of skill and practise.

I haue, in mine owne intentions, confined my selfe, for forraine in­stances, within the history of the Romanes, or else I should with much difficultie forbeare, to giue the anci­ent Graecians their due commenda­tions in this respect; especially the Plutarch. in vita Lyc [...]rgi. Lacedemonians, whose very Chil­dren from seuen yeares old and vp­ward, were distributed vnder such as were in stead of Captaines, com­manding and instructing them; wherein they tooke so great pride and glory, that Tusculan. 5. [...] Tully reports with [Page 55] wonder, what he had there seene amongst them; Adolescentiū greges Lacedaemone vidimus. Ipsi incredibili contentione certabant pugnis, calcibus, vnguibus, morsu deni (que), vt exanima­rentur priusquam se victos faterentur. We saw (saith he) in Lacedaemon, troupes of young men, who with in­credible fiercenes, fought with fists, heeles, nayles, nay with their teeth; in so much that they had rather dye than confesse themselues vanqui­shed: And certainely where such sparkes were in boyes, we must needs suppose bright flames in men of more ripe age.

But I dare, as now, wade no fur­ther in this argument, least I should be cut of, as he that had made a long oration in the praise of Hercules, with a Quis vnquam vituperauit? who euer dispraised him? I may not flatter; although this Citie, this honourable Citie, (who, in this re­spect, I hope, will proue to all her sisters of this Empire, as Iason [Page 54] to his fellowes, of whome the Apollon. Ar­gonaut. lib. 1. ver. 363. Poet:

As soone as hee had spoken and counselled, he was the first that put it in execution, and other were mo­ued and swayed by his example:) haue in a short time brought forth (not without labour and trauaile) two so like nurceries of that noble profession, as that of the Artillery garden, and this of the Military yard; yet certainely, the building of these walles doth not want a Nehem 4. Sanballat to maligne it, a Tobiah to mocke at it: The one suggesting, that this warlike humour is an incentiue to Rebellion; The other insulting ouer it, with a Cui bono, to what purpose? But for the first, it seemes they neuer read that of Cassiodore, Cassiodor. lib. 5. ep. 3. Viri fortes sem­per in pace modesti sunt, & iustitiam nimis diligunt qui arma frequenter tractârunt: The more eminent va­lour that is in a man, the greater mo­desty [Page 56] in time of peace; and they are the most zealous louers of iustice, that haue beene most frequent in dangers: And for the latter, though I might answer with Thucydides, that Praestat se ex vano metu & ru­more, aduersus pericula praeparare, quam ex nimia securitate & hostium contemptu imparatum ab ijs opprimi; It is better out of a vaine feare, and idle rumour, to be praepared against dangers, than out of too great secu­ritie and contempt of an enemy, to be by him ouertaken vnawares: yet me thinks, in this rotten and decre­pit age, I cannot truely confesse any feare to be vaine, or any caution too much, the spirit hauing spoken eui­dently, that in these [...], pe­rilous times, men shall be 2 Tim. 3.3. [...], truce-breakers, and traytors, Psal. 55.20. that lay their hands vpon such as be at peace with them, and breake their couenants.

Were it halfe eighty eight yeares, sithence the yeare eighty eight, that [Page 57] wee might the more easily forget those sodaine attempts: Or were there none of his line left aliue, that durst say, Maximilian Duke of Au­strich. he treated of agreement with Lewis the twelfth, K. of France, onely to be reuenged of the seuenteene iniuries he had receiued of the French, whereas indeed they had done him no wrong at all: Or were it not knowne among the Turkes, that there is such a place as England, accessible with ships and gallies, the Diamond of the world, and worth, oh how many Rhodes and Malta'es! Or had we not amongst vs men, Gil [...]as. aetatis atra­mentum, the inke of the times, bapti­zed Iewes (as Bernard speaks) whose bodies are with vs, and their hearts many hundred leagues hence: Or had we neuer heard of a Sicilian ve­spro, or a Parisian massacre: Or were we assured that the Romish Catholicks amongst vs, who take the oath of Allegeance, meane as they say; or that such as refuse it, meant not more than they say: Were all these [Page 58] things so, certainly our peace might be the more secure, and our securitie lesse blame-worthy than it is: And yet all this notwithstanding, Esa. 59.1. The arme of the Lord is not shortned, but that, as he could raise vp children to Abraham, out of stones; so he can stirre vs vp enemies from among our friends, for Ego Dominus faciens pacem, & creans malum, saith he, Esa. 45.7. I am the Lord that make peace and create warre: and therefore as he could Esa. 46.11. whistle for a bird out of the East, so he can call a Beast out of any other coast, that shall make all the forrest tremble: Whereunto there shall neede the lesse allectiues, and inducements, because Riches without meanes to defend them, are of them­selues invitations to spoyle; and there­fore where Salomon mentions the riches of his bed, Cant. 3.10. whose pillers were of siluer, the bottom gold, and the hangings purple; there he also spe­cifies a garde of threescore strong men, that were about it, of the valiant men [Page 59] of Israel, they all handle the sword, and are expert in warre, euery one hath his sword vpon his thigh, for the feare by night. For when 2 Reg. 20.13. Merodach Baladan the King of Babel his Embassadors, had seene Hezekiah his treasures of siluer, and gold, and spices, and pre­cious oyntments, (notwithstanding they were showen his armory and prouision for warre as well as these, yet) their hearts were so fired with the desire of them, and their fingers did so itch at them, that within lesse than an hundred yeares after, all that masse of treasure and riches, toge­ther with all his people, were (accor­ding to the word of the LORD) carried by Ipsa (que) furem praeda vocat. Ouid. and ac­cording to the Spanish pro­uerbe, Puerta abie [...]a al santo tienta. Nabuchadnezzar vnto Babel.

It concernes vs then, vpon whom the Lord hath so showred downe temporall blessings, that I may truly say of the Iewes and Englishmen, (as one of Demosthenes & Tully; Cicero effecit, ne Demosthenes esset solus ora­tor, Demosthenes ne Cicero primus [Page 60] foret) that they were the cause we could not be the first people, whom God did so extraordinarily fauour; but we are the cause, that they cannot boast, to be the only people interested in his loue: It concernes vs, I say, to looke vpon our owne happinesse with a careful and jealous eye, which so many behold with enuious eyes; not to suffer vpon our foreheads a brand, of men A transcur­rente subacti. Lucan. lib. 7. nullo negotio vincibi­lium, that Nah. 3.12. are like figtrees with the first ripe fruit; if they be shaken, they shal euen fal into the mouth of the eater.

They that are in publique places of trust, haue a more publique charge, and a greater charge of the publique laid vpon them Leo ser. 1. in Anniuersar. A. Det virtutem, qui contulit dignitatem, may he that gaue them the dignity endue them with abili­tie to performe it: But you, beloued, who to this purpose bring euery man his own selfe, and that Willingly, fit­ting, & offering your selues to stand in the gap when need shal require, and like those 300. Laconians that made [Page 61] Xerxes his Army of 300000. make a stand, to stop the Cataclysme and in­undation of war whensoeuer it shall happen; Good luck haue you with your honor, Num. 24 8. you shal eate the Nations which are your foes, you shal bruise their bones and shoot them through with your ar­rowes, you shall neuer be ashamed when you speake with your enemies in the gate for, Aug. lib. contra qui [...]que haereses. Donabit certanti victoriam, qui certandi dedit audaciam, he shall giue victory to you when you fight, that first taught your fingers to fight and your hands to make warre.

Thus we haue seene, and stood a while vpon the highest step, that in this respect, Mans wisedome is able to climbe vnto, namely to prepare the horse against the day of battell, beyond this we cannot goe; yet we may lift our eyes to the hill of Sion, and there as our weake sight shall be enabled, looke vpon that [...]. Dionis. de mystis Theol cap. 1. ouerbright dark­nesse of his supreme and transcen­dent power, the prerogatiue which he will not communicate to any crea­ture, [Page 62] in disposing of victory accor­ding to his owne pleasure with meanes, without meanes, against meanes, which is the second point obseruable in this Scripture.

Which truth was neuer more fre­quently and freely acknowledged by any man than by Dauid, one that had the 2. Sam. 17.10. heart of a Lion, one that had 2. Sam. 8.13. gotten him a name in warre, whose happy valour was growne into a Prouerb, Saul hath slaine his thousand, and Dauid his tenne thousand, yet Psal. 44. in God will I boast (saith he) all the day long, and praise thy name for euer, I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword saue me, but thou hast saued vs from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated vs; And still in euery victory this was his song of triumph, Psal. 115.1. Non nobis, Domine, non nobis; Not vnto vs Lord, not vnto [Page 63] vs; but to thy name giue the glory, for Psal. 124.2. If thou hadst not beene on our side, when men rose vp against vs, they had swallowed vs vp quick; Our shields, our swords, our speares, our bowes, our men, our horses, had all beene prepared in vaine against the day of battell, except thou hadst gone forth with our armies, brought vs into the strong Cities, and lead vs into Edom. So much is likewise con­fessed by Moses in that song of thanksgiuing, made for the deliue­rance of the Israelites from the Ae­gyptians, Exod 15. and epitomized as it were in the third verse, The Lord is a man of warre, Iehouah is his name. The same song sang Ioshua his suc­cessor, by way of prophecy, Iosh. 23.10. One man of you shall chase a thou­sand for the Lord your God fighteth for you; and by way of historie, in the Chap. following at the 11. verse; And the men of Iericho fought against you, the Amorites, the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and [Page 64] Girgashites, the Hiuites, and the Iebu­sites, and I (saith the Lord) deliuered them into your hands: all which ac­knowledgements, though differing in words, yet naturally resolue themselues into this proposition that safety (or victorie) is from the Lord, I shall not neede to vse many words in this matter; None but a Goliah, a Sennacharib, a Nebuchadnez­zar, or Holofernes, will assume to themselues, and their owne arme the successe of warre; whether victorie or discomfiture; But if Exod. 17.11. Israel pre­uailed when Moses (who was but a seruant in the house) held vp his hands, and when he let them downe Amalek preuailed; much more (will the Saints sing loud vpon their beds) 1 Chr. 29.11 Thine, O Lord, is greatnesse, and po­wer, and glory, and victory, and praise, and on the other side, Psal. 44.10. Thou makest vs turne backe from the Aduersary, and they which hate vs, spoile for themselues. Nor is this only to be vnderstood, in cases where numbers to numbers, [Page 65] and praeparation is opposed to praepa­ration, as though it were then only in his power [...], who should be found too light in the ballance, when resolution meets with resolution, skill with skil, and strength with strength,

No, with God, non est distantia there is no difference, 2. Chron. 14.11. It is as easie with him, to help with few, as with many; If he hold vp his hand, Gedeons three hundred shall be enough for the Iudg. 7. Midianites and Amalekites that are in multitude as the Grashopers; Nay 2. Sam. 14. Ionathan and his Armorbearer shall be too many for the whole Garrison of the Philistims: If he let it fall, then 2. Chron. 24.24. Permodicus numerus Syrorum, Though there came but a smal com­pany of the Aramites, yet the Lord will deliuer a mighty army of the Israelites into their hands; Thus sa­fety, [Page 66] (wheresoeuer and to whomso­euer, and vpon what oddes so euer) is from the Lord; and from him on­ly, you see it confirmed, testimonio & oris & operis, both by the testimony of his word and his worke.

And certainly, if the men of this generation shall thinke his power lesse, or lesse able to praeuaile against Babel, because of the building her a Tower ▪ Against the Anakim, because of their walled townes: against Goliah, because of his Helmet and Brigan­dine of brasse: or against Ierusalem it selfe, because of her bulwarkes: Ile say no more, but as our Sauiour to the Mat. 12.41. Iewes, so tell I them, the men of Niniueh shall rise in iudgment against them, and condemne them: for Nini­ueh hath God set forth as an example of his vnresistable power, how weake the arme of flesh and bloud, how foolish the policie of man, and how vaine the helpe of Princes is in comparison thereof. Take the ex­ample into your consideration. Ni­niueh [Page 67] was, at that time, the seate of the Empire of Assyria; and Esa. 10. Ashur the staffe in the hands of the Lord, the rod of his wrath, to correct his people of Israel withall; The rodde lifts it selfe against him that taketh it vp, and the staffe exalteth it selfe as if it were no wood; By the power of mine owne hands haue I done this, and by mine owne wisdome because I am wise; Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Sa­maria like Damascus? saith this ( fla­gellum Dei,) this scourge of God, whom the Lord had appointed to be as whips on Israels sides, and as thornes in her eyes: Herevpon, the Allmighty, (who cannot abide that a Iudge should commit murther in doing iustice, nor that a man should persecute him whom He had smit­ten, or adde to his sorrowes whom He had wounded,

[Page 68] determines as soone as he hath ac­complished his worke vpon Mount Sion and Ierusalem, to visit the King of Ashur himselfe, and his proud lookes; to take his rodde, and cast it into the fire. Yet before this come to passe, before the Lord open the gates, & the Chaldaeans bring war & destruction like a tempestuous whirl­winde vpon Niniue; hee graciously vouchsafeth to send faecialem a here­hault, his prophet Nahum, who in his words and name, to the comfort of his afflicted people, and the terror of the Israelitomastiges, rattles such an alarme in their eares, as neuer any Prophet did, in so warre-like termes, vnto any people. And that you may see, how the LORD will haue safety attributed vnto himselfe; and how his power derides the opposi­tion of mans strength, obserue how particularly, and praecisely, he an­swers euery obiection, and looseth euery knot, that hope her selfe, the last company of affliction, could de­uise [Page 69] to knit: to which purpose, as Iudg. 9.8. Iotham in his parable, supposeth trees to speake, so imagine, that you heare HOPE, and TRVTH thus Dialogue-wise discoursing.

Surely (saith HOPE) Niniueh shall not be destroyed, for it is Ionah 1.2. a great City, GOD himselfe hath taken knowledg of it, and honored it with that attribute.

Yea but (saith TRVTH) The Lord hath giuen a commandement concer­ning her, that no more of her name be sowen. Nahum. 1.14.

But God once spared this populous City, wherein there are more than six score thousand per­sons that cannot discerne betweene the right hand and the left.

The Lord indeed is slow to anger, but great in power, and will not surely cleare the wicked. Cap. 1. ver. 3.

We heare no rumors of warre, we are at rest, and haue peace with the Nations round about vs.

Though they be quiet, and also many, yet thus shall they be cut off, when he shall passe by. Cap. 1.12.

But if there be no reme­dy, let vs not be beaten at home, stop the passages, man the frontiers, keepe the munition, watch the wayes, let vs make our loynes strong, and fortifie our powers mightily. Cap. 2. ver. 1.

Yea, but The shields of the mighty men (that come against thee) are made red; Their charets shall rage in the streets, they shall runne to and fro in the high wayes, they shall shoot like the lightning. Cap. 2. v. 4.

But Niniueh is of old like a poole of water, the riuer Tigris is in stead of moates, ditches, trenches to her walles; and besides, shee will remember her strong men. cap. 2.8.

But, the gates of the ri­uers shall be opened, and the palace shall melt; they shall flee away, stand, stand, shall they cry, but none shall looke backe. cap. 2.8.

But, Niniueh hath mul­tiplied [Page 71] her merchants as the starres of heauen, there is no end of the store and glory of all her pleasant furniture, and therefore she can hire succours from forraine countries.

Yea, but The Chaldaeans shall take the spoile of the siluer and gold, c. 2. v. 9. and for other Nations, they shall be so farre from helping her, that all they that looke vpon her, shall fly from her, and say, Niniueh is laid waste, who will bemoane her? cap. 3. ver. 7.

But Niniueh is the seate of the Empire, shee can command to her aide, many Countries, Prouinces and Cities, that are vnder her domi­nion.

Yea but Is shee better than No that was full of people, and was situate among the riuers? Aethio­pia and Aegypt was her strength, and it was infinite, Put and Lubin were her helpers, yet shee was carried away, and went into captiuitie. c. 3. v. 9.

But Niniueh hath store [Page 72] of munition, and is victualled for many yeares.

I, I, draw thee waters for the siege, fortifie thy strong holds, goe into the clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickill, yet there the fire shall deuoure thee, and the sword cut thee off. c. 3. v. 14, 15.

But Niniueh hath her walles an hundred foote high, so broad, that three carts may goe on a row at the top of them, furnished and fortified with fifteene hundred bulwarks and towers.

Yet all her strong holds are but like fig-trees with the first ripe figs, if they be shaken, they shall euen fall into the mouth of the eater. cap. 3. vers. 12.

But Niniueh hath in her the flower of the Princes, the chiefe of the Nobility, and the greatest Cap­taines and Commanders in the Em­pire.

Alas, Her crowned are as the Locusts, and her Captaines are [Page 73] as the great grashoppers, which campe in the hedges in the cold day, but when the Sunne ariseth, they flie away, and the place is not knowne where they are. cap. 13. ver. 17.

But Niniueh is full of ancient, experienced, braue Souldi­ours, such as haue beene accustomed but to come and conquer.

Yea but peace and plen­ty hath made them wanton, effaemi­nate, base, drunken, coward-like Carpet-Knights: Behold, thy people in the middest of thee are women, cap. 3. v. 13. Thy people, those that haue beene so renowmed in Armes, those that haue atchieued such victories, those that haue made such con­quests: Thy people, those that haue beene the terror of the world, able to affront Babylon, and to giue her checke-mate in the height of her pride; Those thy people, thy strong, martiall, honoured, feared people; In the middest of thee, not thy pondus in vtile, thy dregs and off-scowring; [Page 74] not thy paisants and husbandmen, not thy Artisans and Mecaniques; not they that are farre remote from the safety of thy walles and turrets; not they that dwell in thy skirts and suburbs, but thy people in the middest of thee, in the place of greatest emi­nence, securitie, and defence, Are wo­men, proud as women, foolish and voide of counsell as women, fanta­sticall and new-fangled as women, delicate and tender as women, feare­full and coward-like as women, nice and effaeminate as women, Deut. 28.36. which neuer will venter to set the sole of their foote vpon the ground for their softnes and tendernes, the heart mel­teth, and the knees smite together, much paine is in the loynes, and the faces of them all gather blacknesse. Nahum. 2.10.

Wee now come to our selues a­gaine, and demand, whether after the light of so great euidence, reflected vpon vs from the glasse of this ex­ample, there can any man be so [Page 75] stupid as to doubt, so impious as to deny, that all power to worke with meanes, without meanes, against meanes, belongeth to the Lord of Hostes? who hath done, doth, and will do whatsoeuer he listeth, in hea­uen, on earth, in the sea and all deep places: And therefore as the Elders in the Reuel. 4.10. Reuelation, throw downe their crownes before the throne; so cast downe your armes, ô ye mighty, your swords and shields, ô yee vali­ant men of warre, before his foote-stoole; hang them vp as trophees in his Temple with this inscription, Psal. 60.12. Through God we will doe valiantly, for he shall tread downe our enemies vnder our feete: But if he be not our helpe in the day of battell, what can these aduantage vs, for victory ouer enemies, as safety from ene­mies is of the Lord.

But it may be, that as a Philoso­pher dissuading the too much feare of death, made men preposterously to cast away their liues: and Physiti­ans [Page 76] somtimes seeking to comfort the heart, doe inflame the liuer; so we by fastening our eyes thus long vpon the transcendent and imperiall power of God, haue lost all sight of the necessity of meanes, or second causes; and Illud idem, de praescientia futu­rorū quidam, sed rectius. [...], [...]. [...], [...]. Scire si liceret, quae debes subire Et non subire; pulchrū sit scire. Sed si subire o­portet, quae licet scire, Quorsum scire? nam debes subire Antholog. Which I thus Englished at the request of Master Doctor G. If man might know th'ill he must vndergoe, And sh [...]nne it so; then it were good to know. But if he vndergoe it, though he know it, What bootes him know it? he must vndergoe it. beginne to perswade our selues, that seeing it is all one with God, (as we haue heard) to helpe with many, or with few, to giue victory to men armed, or naked, to saue with sword and shield, or without them, therefore all prepara­tion against the day of battell, all pro­uision, munition, numbers, experi­ence and practise, are either needlesse or bootlesse; If the Lord will help, he can doe it without these, and then they are needlesse; or if he will strike, there is neither security, nor succour in any of these; and then they are bootlesse.

[Page 77]For answer whereunto we are to consider, that albeit the absolute power of God be infinite, a matter (much rather than a Kings royall prerogatiue) not to be quaestioned, nor disputed of, for [...], saith Damasc. lib. 1. cap. 2. Damascene, things in­comprehensible, are likewise vn­speakable, and [...]. Basil. de Spir. Sanct. c. 18. Similiter Naz. de Fil. orat. 1. to be honored with silence; yet his actuall or ordinarie power is limited, and, as it were, cir­cumscribed by his will; so that as the first can do no more than he will; so this doth whatsoeuer he will, and therefore voluntas eius est potest as eius, saith in Luc. 5. Ambrose, His will is his power; Now he being pleased to re­ueale thus much vnto vs in Scrip­ture, that it is his will ordinarily to worke by ordinary meanes, and se­condary causes, Ose 2.15. himselfe to heare the heauens, the heauens to heare the earth, the earth to heare the corne, and the wine, and the oyle, and they to heare Israel, certainly they that shall rea­son from his posse to his velle, from [Page 78] his power to his will, are like those deceitfull, or vnlearned Physitians, who as Aug. de bono perseuer. cap. 21. Augustine saith, do so apply vtile medicamentum, a plaister whol­some in it selfe, vt aut non prosit, aut obsit, that it shall either do no good, or a great deale of harme; for with as much probability, might we omit both ploughing and sowing, and ex­pect Manna from heauen, because the LORD once fed the Israelites with it; or abstaine from foode, be­cause Moses fasted forty dayes; or gape till the Rauens feede vs, because they once did so to Elias; or waite till an Asse counsell vs, because Ba­laams Asse aduised his master; as ex­pect that the Lord should giue vs victory, with sounding of Rammes hornes, or breaking of pitchers, that is to stand still onely, and behold what the Lord will doe for vs: Mi­racles were they; and miraculous would this be, and therefore Conuenit nunc quarere quemad­modum Deus [...]n­stituit naturas­rerum, non quid in eis ad miracu­lum suae potentiae velit operari. Aug. lib. 2. super Gen. c. 1. not to be looked for but in cases of necessi­ty; our Sauiour himselfe when he [Page 79] was to ascend into heauen, hauing chosen Mount Oliuet for the place, from whence, that (as one saith) Quamdiu natur ae vis inseruire potuit, miraculo non vteretur, wherein the power of nature could helpe him, he might not worke a miracle: Nor is this any disparagement to his might, whom we acknowledg to be [...] solely sufficient by his immediate word to gouerne all things, as well as he was to create them; but rather an honor to himselfe, and to his creatures; to himselfe, for beating out the golden ingot of his proui­dence, into so admirable a chaine of causes, perplexed, folded, and linked one within another: And to his Creatures in Dignationis enim est, non ne­cessitatis. daigning them to be Co-workers with him, that as he is the principall agent, so they may haue imployment vnder him, wher­with to busie themselues, that they fall not vpon that iust reprehension, Quid statis hic totum diem otiosi, why stand yee here all the day idle? It [Page 80] rests then, that (as Hieron cont. Lucifer. Hierom speakes truly, though to another point), Singulorum priuilegia legem efficere non possunt, the priuiledges of sin­gular and speciall persons, make no common rule for all men in gene­rall: What God hath beene pleased to do at sometimes, and what he is able to do at all times, we may looke vpon for our comfort, but not rely vpon for our incouragement to neg­lect the ordinary meanes. For with­in these limits haue they walked, to whom the secret of the Lord hath beene reuealed, and whose feet haue beene guided the right way, by the lanterne of his word.

Iacob had Gods promise, for the su­periority ouer his brother Esau; and Dauid was abundantly secured of Gods protection from Saul, and all his other enemies; yet for all that, they were content to vse the best meanes they could, watching all op­portunities, redeeming all occasions, sometimes flying, sometimes intrea­ting, [Page 81] sometimes buying their peace, though alwaies assured, that safety is from the Lord, and by particular promises fully perswaded, that he would deliuer their soules from death, and their dearlings from the power of the lyon. Act 27. Pauls voyage by sea, is knowne euen to the Barba­rians, so is his danger, and the spe­ciall reuelation he had for the deli­uerance of himselfe and all his com­pany: And what then? did that make the Mariners neglect to [...]. v. 28. sound, to v. 29. cast anchors, to v. 38. lighten the ship, to v. 40. wey anchors, to v. 40. hoyse sayles, nay such as could, to swimme first to land, and such as could not swimme, to saue themselues on bords and other peeces of the ship? No; for he knew, that Aug. de Ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. c. 19. si periculum quan­tum cauere possumus non cauemus, ma­gis tentamus Deum, quam speramus in Deo, if we labour not to auoide dan­ger and perill, as much as we can, in how deplored and desperate cases soeuer, we rather tempt God indeed, [Page 82] than trust in God. But aboue all, we haue an euident and an eminent example hereof, in her whom all generations shall call blessed, the Virgin-mother of our Sauiour, who though shee had laid vp in her heart, all the sayings, of the Angell at the Annun­tiation, of Elizabeth at her visitation, of Simeon and Annah at her purifica­tion; yet when the Angell of the LORD appeared vnto Ioseph in a dreame, and bad him take that sweet babe, and his blessed mother, and flee into Aegypt, because Herod sought the Childe to destroy it: did shee reason against her husbands resolu­tion, and plead Gods eternall de­cree, or her ( [...]) full perswa­sion, and assured beleefe thereof against his purpose? Nothing lesse: Shee thought not her selfe wiser than God in his commanding, than her husband in his obedience: Shee was not like the Iudg. 19.28. Leuites wife that answered not; nor like Gen. 19.16. Lots wife that departed vnwillingly▪ but as [Page 83] Ruth. 1.16. Ruth to Naomi her mother in law, so answered her heart to Ioseph, I will not leaue thee nor depart from thee, but whither thou goest, I will goe, I know the LORD, certaine and firme, in the end and accomplishment of his promise; I know not the meanes, by which he hath determined to ef­fect it, and therefore, Surge, eamus, Arise, let vs goe hence.

Thus all the seruants of God, haue one of their eyes fastned vpon Ezech. 1. & 10. Eze­chiel his Cherubims, and the other vpon his wheeles: their hearts are reposed vpon Gods mercy; but their hands are stretched out vnto all that they shall finde to do; when Hezekiah is sicke, 2 Reg. 20.7. though the Pro­phet Isaiah be sent vnto him with a promise of recouery, yet he must take a lumpe of dry figs, and lay it vpon the sore, and therefore meanes must be vsed; But though the watchman stand vpon the walles, yet Psal. 127.1. except the Lord keepe the City, he watcheth but in vaine, and therefore secondary [Page 84] causes only must not be relyed vpon, nor ^a sacrifice offered vnto our nets, nor incense burnt vnto our yarne: The horse is praepared against the day of battell, there (as I said at the first) is mans prouidence, but safety is of the Lord, there is his power and praeroga­tiue. Mat. 17.21. Giue vnto Caesar, that which is Caesars, and to God that which is Gods.

It was the Spartane resolution, admota manu fortunam invocare, alitur vitium viuit (que) legendo. Dum medicas adhibere manus ad vulnera pa­stor Abnegat, & me­liora Deos sedet omnia poscens. Virg. Georg. 3. to do their best, and then to aske helpe from fortune; we haue a more sure word, whereunto you shall do well to take heede, as to a light shining in darke places, namely that according to Ioabs counsell to his brother Abi­shai, 2 Sam. 10.12. We be strong and valiant for our people, and for the Cities of our God, and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes: and as the builders of Ie­rusalem Neh. 4.17. did the worke with one hand, and held the sword with the other; so let one of our hands be lifted vp against our enemies, and the other vnto our God:

that words and blowes, and hands and hearts, be seuerally imployed about their proper businesse; for as it is true on the one side, Amos 4.7. partem super quam non pluit Dominus ares­cere, that the peece which is not rai­ned vpon doth parch and wither away; so on the other side, what Plut. in lib. Maximè cum princip. viris phi­losopho esse di­sputand. Plutarch spake of Philosophy, is much more true of the Allmighty, that hee hath not, like a statuary, made men simulacra in sua perpetuò haerentia basi, images cleauing and perpetually growing to their basis and foundation, but actiue, iudici­ous, full of counsell, inuention, and greatnesse of minde, and most ready to execute whatsoeuer they shall be, by them, spurred and prouoked vn­to; running sometimes into those dangers and troubles, Es. 47.11. quorum ortū nesciuerunt, whose originall or cause they do not vnderstand; but most an end, like Sampson, pulling vpon [Page 86] their owne heads, ruine and destru­ction, either through contempt, or neglect of the meanes, which if ma­turely applied, might haue beene an­tidotes and defensatiues against those poysons. For conclusion of this point, Iudg 7.20. The sword of the Lord, and of Gedeon, of the one as concha the fountaine and originall; of the other, as canalis the streame and con­duit of safety and victory, let be the meditation, the cry, the confidence, of all those, who are, or shall be like horses praepared against the day of battell.

I would I might here make an end, that after so calme and serene a day, my sunne might not set in a cloud; but as our Sauiour sayes, Luc. 19.40. If these should hold their tongues, the stones would cry; So it being the property of light Ioh. 3.20. [...], to reprooue darknesse: Although I should be silent, yet your forward­nes, & willing offering your selues, would accuse and conuince others, [Page 87] whom it concernes as much, or more, than you, of a kinde of name­lesse sloth or improuidence, which hath insensibly emasculated & soft­ned their hearts, making them lesse carefull to preuent, lesse able to re­sist, whensoeuer nation shall rise a­gainst nation, or kingdome against king­dome.

It hath beene said of old, Many a good father hath had an euill sonne; I am sure that we haue seene three of the best mothers, peace, prosperitie, and plenty, bring forth such mon­strous and abhorred issues, as wee haue iust cause to wish, Iob 3.16. the knees had neuer praeuented, but that they had beene hid as vntimely births, or as infants which haue not seene the light: Peace hath brought forth [...], iniustice: Prosperity [...], impiety: and Plenty [...], effaemi­nate wantonnesse: All we say, is that It is pity faire weather should euer do harme, yet we feele our selues there­by melted into pleasure, and the si­newes [Page 88] of our strength dissolued by litle and litle; euery priuate mans vices spreading the infection; so that it may iustly be feared that at length the whole body politicke will be­come corrupted.

And surely, though the two first may cause the decay of a Common­wealth, as much as the last, yet expe­rience hath euer found this to be the most infallible and immediate fore­runner, nutantis & iamiam casuri im­perij, of a declining and tottering Empire, ready to fall by the least im­pulsion, or concussion.

Rome, to the top of whose great­nesse Ammian. Marcell. de Am­phicheatro. aegrè visio humana conscen­dit, scarce any humane sight could reach Moribus an­t [...]quis res stat R [...]mana, viris (que)., stood euer fast and victori­ous, as long as they kept their rigid discipline, and ancient customes in­uiolable; as long as they either had warre with other Nations, as in the time of the Consulls; or were prepa­red [Page 89] for warre, as it is said of Augu­stus, that when the Temple of Ianus was shut, he kept forty legions in pay: But afterward when want of forraine enemies made her study and apply her selfe to the Persian lu­xury and delicacies; when shee be­gan to haue Nero'es and Heliogabali to her Emperors, shee did forthwith not descend, but tumble downe headlong from her greatnesse, to that despicable and contemned estate, whence shee was neuer, neuer will be able to raise her selfe. As much might be said of the Graecian Empire, the Persian Monarchy, and all other Estates of whom there is now no­thing to be seene, but the dust and rubbish.

Vnhappy men are alwaies made in respect of their sins, not accessaries, [Page 90] but principalls in their owne destru­ction; they become bloody Pha­raohs to themselues, in killing the male children, and sauing the fae­males, in destroying or discounte­nancing masculine virtues, and nou­rishing effaeminate basenes;

Though not with their hands, yet by these meanes and manners, they disarme themselues of their defence, and are exposed to the vttermost of all iniuries and perills. What could the Philistims haue deuised more dangerously against the Israelites? though they made them flie from place to place, and 1 Sam. 13.6. hide themselues in caues, and in rockes, and in holds, and in towers, and in pits, yet there was hope that they might rally & meete together, and (according to Demost­henes saying of himselfe) though they once ranne away, afterward fight againe; But when they had left [Page 91] them neuer a Smith in all Israel, so that among forty thousand men there was neither sword nor speare, then they thought they had them sure enough, for euer being able to lift vp their hands, or make resistance against them.

The same policie did Sesostris vse against the Aegyptians, whose coun­try being great, and their numbers infinite, to keepe them quiet hee thought it his best course to [...]. impose vpon women the workes of men, and vpon men the workes of women, con­strayning the men to sit at home, and the women to goe abroad; the men to spin, the women to buy and sell; the men to beare burthens on their heads, the women on their shoulders; the men to weare double garments against the cold, the wo­men single ones: the men to weare long hayre, the women short; [...]. (let me spare the translation of this vnnaturally translated gesture:) [Page 92] And wherefore all this? [...]. Herodot. lib. 2. & Nymphid. lib. 13. [...]. Citatur à Scholiast. in So­phoc. [...]. hoping that by these meanes and customes, he should in time weane them from all man-like thoughts and exercise of Armes, and make them willingly & gladly yeeld their necks vnto that yoke of slauery, which he knew it im­possible any free spirit could beare.

And what lesse or what other thing doe they, who not from any outward compulsion, but meerely out of their owne natiue and in-bred vices, softnesse, security, wanton­nesse, and effaeminatnesse with the help of that Deuill pleasure,

do vn-man themselues, and change not their shapes only, as Circe, but the habits of their soules, as if their bodies were moued and actuated by the spirits of Peacockes, Apes, Asses. Were Salomon aliue, in these our times, and should change Iudaea for [Page 93] England, he could not say as once he did, Eccles. 7.30. I haue found one man amongst a thousand, but a woman amongst them all haue I not found, more truly might he say, I haue found a thousand wo­men (the vices and sinnes of so ma­ny) in the shape of one man, but a man, indeed, haue I not found; the Lord of Hostes hath made good his word, Esa. 13.12. I will make a man more preci­ous, than fine gold, euen a man aboue the wedge of gold of Ophir.

What this may portend, I do not, I dare not, know; sure I am, that a little before the taking and sacking of Iericho, Rahab confessed of the inha­bitants thereof Iosh. 2.11. Elanguit cor nostrū, nec remansit in nobis spiritus, that their hearts did faint, and there remained no more courage in any of them: A little before the conquest of Ae­gypt, Isa. 19.3. Isay prophecied, Et concidet spiritus Aegypti in medio, that the spi­rit of Aegypt should faile in the mid­dest of her; A little before the capti­uitie of the Iewes, the Lord foretold, [Page 94] that he would take away from Iudah and Ierusalem, Esa. 3.2.3. the strong man, and the man of warre, the captaine of fifty, and the honorable person. And when­soeuer he ment to punish his people, by the sword of the enemy, he sent faintnes into their hearts in the land of their enemies, that the sound of a sha­ken leafe did chase them, and they fled as flying from a sword, and they fell when none pursued, Leuit. 26.36.

It is only knowne vnto God, whose eye seeth all secrets, whether Moab and England sinning in the same de­gree, shall be punished in the same degree, or whether he will for three transgressions punish Damascus, and excuse Iudah for foure; yet farre be it from vs, on the other side, to thinke that God doth Aug. de ciui­tat. Dei. li. 3. c. 2. punire periuria Troi­ana, amare Romana, Reuenge Troian, and loue Romane periuries: Thus much we may say: The Math 16.3. Iewes could iudge of the weather by the rednesse of the skies: the Mat. 24.32. husband­man of the neerenesse of Summer, [Page 95] by the figge-trees putting forth her leaues; 1. Sam 20. Dauid knew what Ionathan ment by the shooting of his arrowes: 1. Reg. 18.44. Eliah vnderstood there was rain to­ward, when he heard of a cloud no bigger than a mans hand: And he is but a simple Phisitian, who cannot finde the plague in one infected, be­fore the Carbuncle appeare; nor the pleurisie, till the bagge come vp; nor the dropsie till the belly swell; Easi­ly therefore may the Seers of Israell, whose eies are in their heads, The watch-men of Iudah that stand vpon the wals, giue [...], prognosticating or fore­running signes of things which al­ready haue their beginning; Now sinne and punishment, as they haue one word in the originall, so they both runne from the slip together, and when we see the one, we may be sure the other is not farre behinde, Senec. Ita Aes­chyl. [...] &c. in Pers. Sequitur superbos vltor a tergo deus: Especially when we see this oyly sin of sensuality ouer-run whole coun­tries: [Page 96] we may iustly suspect it not only as an aduersary to fight against vs, but euen as a Messenger to bring vs tydings of euill, and that not far distant or much remote; but as the Messengers to Iob, one trode vpon the heeles of another, Iob. 1.18. Adhuc lo­quebatur ille, & ecce alius intrauit, while he yet spake, behold there came another; so while effaeminate, lasci­uious, nice and delicate wantonnesse, is speaking, deliuering it's message and seducing men to pleasures and lasciuiousnes, ecce supervenit alius, behold there comes another, the pu­nishment it self, wherevnto that was a praeparatiue, namely destruction, ruine, and remedilesse desolation.

Marcus Aurelius Probus (an Empe­ror of Rome, Cuius nomen resipsa sequeba­tur. whose name was not better than himselfe) was heard to say, breui milites minime necessarios fore, cùm desint hostes, that shortly there would be no vse of souldiours, for want of enemies; but ea vox plu­rimùm obfuit, saies one, Pomp. Laetus. That word [Page 97] did a great deale of harme, nay exitio fuit, saies Eutrop. Breui­ar. lib. 9. another, it cost him his life, for he was shortly after slaine by the souldiours in a tumult at Sirmium, the place where he was borne.

We haue many, that with lesse cause, but with more confidence thinke Souldiours the most vnneces­sary implement that can be in a qui­et and peaceable gouernment; some do not let to say so, but ea vox pluri­mùm obest, that speach doth much harme, for Veget. in Pro­log. lib. 3. Qui desiderat pacem prae­paret bellum, He that desires peace, let him praepare for warre; and wor­thily doth De legib. lib. 1. Plato commend the lawes of the Cretans so made, tanquā homines semper parati essent ad bellum, at (que) in procinctu dimicandi consisteret, as if men ought alwaies to be ready for war, & shold continually stand in aray of battell against their enemies.

It is but a weake retreat for hu­mane frailty, to defend improuidence with orbis pacatus, the peace of all the world, and want of enemies; Ieru­salem [Page 98] is remoued, saith the Lament. 1.8. Prophet, why? quia peccatum peccanit, because shee hath sinned greeuously; As long as transgressions are multiplied, foes will be found: If Salomon sin, 1 Reg. 11. Ha­dad and Rezon shall be stirred vp a­gainst him. Inquire saith Iudith. 5. Achior to Holofernes, whether this people haue committed any error, or sinned against their God; and then let vs goe vp, and we shall ouercome them, for that shall be their ruine. Accordingly where­vnto, a Noble Countryman of ours, did wisely and soberly answer a pe­tulant Frenchman, who at the losse of Callis, seeing him praepare home­ward, ask't him when he thought the English would returne into France againe: Apotheg. Gall. libellus, pag. 72. When (q ^d he) the sins of the French shall be more grieuous than ours: most worthily and Christian-like; for vbi praeponderat iniquitas, ibi exaltabitur iudicium, where wicked­nesse presseth downe as low as the center, there iudgment shall be exal­ted as high as heauen. O then belo­ued, [Page 99] as we hope to be accounted loyall subiects to our KING, let vs shake off sin that hangeth on so fast; for 1 Sam. 12.25. If we do wickedly we shall perish both we and our King. As we loue (that which ought to be dearest vnto vs of any earthly thing) our Coun­try, let vs forsake all vnrighteousnes, for Ezech. 12.19. desolabitur terra à multitudine sua, propter iniquitates omnium qui habitant in ea, the land shall be laid wast, because of the iniquity of them that dwell therein: As we desire the protection of him, who alone is able to keep vs safe vnder the shadow of his wings, let vs depart from that which is abhominable in his sight, for Wisd 1.3. peruersae cogitationes separant à Deo, euill thoughts separate from God: But aboue all the rest, let our owne reason praeuaile with vs, if we be reasonable men, to abandon this sin, shall I say? or punishment of sin? or both? I meane, that frozen and benummed senselessnes of approa­ching danger; sith God hath giuen [Page 100] vs peace on all sides, let vs seeke to continue our peace by all meanes. Bosquier. Veg. Christian. lib. 6. p. 378. Henry the fourth late King of France was heard to say, that he had in his Exchequer, a hundred thou­sand horsemen, armed, mounted, and lodged: But we should hold it happinesse and securitie enough for vs ( [...]) if we could truly say we had but halfe so many footemen; so they were not such as Lampridius calls milites ostensionales, soldiers for show or pompe; such as can weare their swords in great scarfes & rich cariages; for any other behoofe, as vsefull as Alcinous his golden dogs were for the defence of his house:

But such as Dauids Captaines were, 1 Chr. 12.8, 14. valiant men of warre, men of armes, apt for battell, which could handle the speare and shield, one of the least could resist an hundred, and the greatest a thousand, like the fifty thousand of the tribe of Zebulon, which could set [Page 101] the battell in aray, & non in duplici corde, and were not of a double heart; a praise which I could wish our Countrymen especially ambitious of, because elder times haue had too many, and I feare future times shall not want some, who like Hercules his Priest (in S. Aug.) are able alone to play a game at tables, casting for themselues with the right hand, and for their supposed aduersaries with the left. Now I conclude, & winde vp all in a word; If in the truth of your hearts (for alium notorem non dabo, I desire no other iudges) you be perswaded of the lawfulnesse of a necessary war, of your generall obli­gation to the defence of your coun­try, of the necessitie of being exerci­sed and trayned vp to military disci­pline; and lastly, if you be touch'd with a serious detestation of these baser and effaeminate Sueton. in Ner. quales describit C [...]em. Alexand. Paed. lib. 3. c. 11. [...]. & [...]. virorum fae­minae, faeminarum viri, men amongst women, and women amongst men,

Then take courage vnto your selues, be neither amazed nor dismayed with the mockes of such as sit in the seate of scorners, runne not with the multitude to do euill; the readinesse and resolution of your hearts hath made you Martyrs in your will and affection, and hauing said so, I shall neede to adde no more to your praise. Looke downe with sorrow and pity, vpon the many thousands that march vnder Mindyrides his co­lours, that Senec. de ira lib. 2. c. 25. Idem saepe que­stu [...] est, quod fo­lijs r [...]s [...] duplica­tis incubuisset. Epicurean Sybarite, who complain'd that his armes aked with seeing one digge; and his sides were hurt with lying vpon the doubled leaues of a rose; fie vpon these strut­ting peacocks, we haue spit seauen times in their faces, yet they will not be ashamed.

Be in your selues, and may your example incourage others to be prae­pared [Page 103] against the day of battell, and ac­customed to the meditation of war, for Cassiodor. lib. 1. pag. 39. Ars bellandi, si non praeluditur, cum fuerit necessaria, non habetur. ibid. Primordia cuncta pauida sunt, & aliter timiditas non tollitur, nisi quum rebus necessarijs nouitas abrogatur; The first beginnings of all things haue in them a certaine kind of feare, which is not banished but by being made familiar with them. Labour (as occasion shall serue) to plucke vp againe, the sunke and drowned honour of our Country; and that it may not be the punishment of a slothfull Nation, Aul. G [...]ll. noct. Attic. lib. 10. c. 8. & Fr [...]nt. Stra­tagem. l. 4. c. 1. which was once of a slothfull souldiour, to be let bloud,

let euery opportunity be waited, and all meanes of preuention wil­lingly embraced.

Lastly, when we haue gone as far as we can, in praeparing the horse against the day of battell, yet conside­ring that safety, or victory is of the Lord, let vs repaire vnto him for [Page 104] help, & not Psal. 20 7. trust in charets or horses, for they are Psal. 33.17. counted but vaine things to saue a man, and in much humilitie referre our selues to his good plea­sure, saying with Ioab, 2 Sam. 10.12. Be strong and let vs be valiant for our people, and for the Cities of our God; and let the Lord do that which is good in his owne eyes.

Now to Iehouah, the Allmighty King of Kings, and Lord of hostes, and to his victorious sonne Christ Iesus, the Lion of the tribe of Iudah, together with the Holy Ghost, the Communion of them both, the inspi­rer of all vertue and true valour, be power, maiesty, might, and do­minion ascribed, now & for euermore. AMEN.