the people of Israel for their dissimulation for to delay Justice because they fained they did not know the Ordinances of Justice c. 7. The Lord is alwayes so prone to do Justice that he complaines by his Prophet none m called for Justice c. meaning that he was alwayes ready to doe that which the Rulers of Israel were so unwilling to doe and that he was angry because they did not give eare to them that required and called for Justice 8. The Lord is excremely displeased when Justice is delaid or omitted as may appeare by this passage of the Prophet Isaiah Iudgement is turned backward and Iustice n standeth afarre off for Truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter c. yea Truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a prey By these humane Instances and passages of the Word of God we may see how dangerous it is to omit or delay Justice and how pleasant and acceptable it is to God when Justice is speedily and unpartially administred And therefore we are all bound in Generall and every one in particular to addresse our fervent prayers to God that he would be pleased to infuse into the hearts of all the members of the Honourable Houses an earnest desire to administer speedy and unpartiall Justice Now they have drawne the sword out of her sheath by the Commissioners of war they have lately appointed to bring to a speedy Triall all those Criminall offenders that they have in their Custody Foure of which have been the cause of the shedding of more Christian bloud then ever o Benhadad King of Damascus caused to be split of the people of Israel And therefore the delay of their Triall is the more dangerous for time produceth many accidents that hinder and pervert Justice If all Christendome were not acquainted with the unmatchlesse Clemencie and indulgent proceedings of the Honourable Houses toward their prisoners the Malignant spirits would inpute the long retention of so many prisoners to Cruelty For the Emperour p Tiberius was used to say when he was demanded the reason why he kept criminall prisoners so long in hold Because said he they die daily and it would be too great a mercy by a suddaine execution to end their miseries Even so the Spanish q Inquisition when they will favour any of their prisoners they bring them speedily to their Triall and as suddenly to their execution but such as they intend to Martyr they keep them in continuall durance that they may suffer by their horrid torments a thousand deaths for one But our Prisoners fare as well as r Demetrius King of Macedonia that was detained prisoner three or foure yeares by Seleucus the great for he never had lesse care nor better fare or more ease then he had in his durance even so our Malignants are more joviall and in better liking then they were in the time of their liberty It were then a laudable frugality in these dayes of Pecuniaefames to bring the criminall Delinquents to a speedy Triall that if they be guilty they may be dealt withall as Quintus Fulvius dealt with the Senators of s Capua And for the prisoners of warre to expedite their exchange to free the prisoners they have of ours from their miseries And for such as are in hold for contempt to release them upon fines for feare their long retention disable them to give any so should our Prisons be cleared the state freed from danger and charges and the second secondary cause of the spinning out of this Unnaturall Warre removed The third Secondary Cause is The neglect of occasions opportunities advantages OCcasion or Opportunitie is a certaine nick of time unexpected nor thought upon that seemes to come accidentally and yet is guided by the will and the speciall Providence of God Now of all occasions or opportunities the Spirituall Civill and Military are of greatest concernment for the first concernes our soules the second our private and the publike welfare and the last our lives and liberties And by consequence the embracing of them very profitable and the omitting of them very prejudiciall to men But of these three the Spirituall opportunities are as much more to be carefully embraced as the Soule is more pretious then our meanes lives and liberties for upon the carefull and diligent observation of them depends our perpetuall Blisse and upon the neglect of them our eternall woe Neither can we expect to obtaine the Grace to make a profitable use of the Civill and of the Military Opportunities unlesse we be diligent and faithfull to observe all spirituall opportunities that may conduce to the advancement of the Glory of God the good of his Church and to the Salvation of our Soules For by the observation of the Spirituall we obtaine and preserve our selves in the favour of God without which favour all civill and military opportunities vanish away The ancient Moralists have figured opportunitie under the shape of a Woman having great wings at her back and a locke of haire hanging over her face but bald behind to intimate by her lock and her wings that if we let her slip when she offers her self to us she will fly away and never be recovered again And therefore that we are to be very circumspect and observant to catch her by the fore-lock as she presents her selfe to us for if she doe but turne her back having no hold behind we loose her for ever And the losse of one Spirituall Civill and Military opportunitie may endanger our Salvation our meanes and the Publike well-fare and our lives and liberties As I will endeavour to prove by humane Histories and by Instances out of the Word of God But before I desire for feare of misprision to ground my discourse upon this Principle of Religion That whensoever the free-will the good pleasure and the eternall purpose of God is pleased to blesse a Kingdome with Peace and Prosperity he will then inable the King his Counsellours Generals of Armies Magistrates and all other subordinate Officers of that Kingdome to make use of all opportunities that may conduce to that end But on the contrary side If his will and pleasure be to humble correct or destroy a Kingdome then will he disable the King his Counsellours Generals of Armies Magistrates and all other subordinate Officers of that Kingdome to omit and neglect all favourable opportunities that may be offered to them that his will pleasure and eternall purpose concerning the humiliation correction or destruction of that Kingdome Common-weale families or private persons may come to passe and be accomplished in his time But some will object and say If all opportunities occasions or advantages in Spirituall Civill and Military actions depend meerly upon the free-will the good pleasure and the eternall purpose of God whether we be carefull or carelesse wise or imprudent valiant or timerous or omit or imbrace all Spirituall Civill and Military opportunities
to follow like a slave the Triumphant Chariot of Paulus Aemilius his Conquerour And yet it is not to be doubted but this King had wise Counsellours and Politicians about him but God had decreed that the Kingdome of Macedonia should be of the number of those Kingdomes that should exalt the Romane Monarchy 4. The omission of the opportunity that h Antiochus the great had to proclaime warre against the Romanes when their forces were busied in Macedonia was the cause that he was defeated in divers battels constrained to make a dishonourable peace with the Romanes and that Armenia the great was presently after brought under the Romane yoke by Lucullus and Pompeius neither did this great Monarch want great Politicians and experienced Commanders for Hannibal attended at his Court but God had decreed that his large Dominions should increase the Romane Empire 5. The omission of the opportunitie that Mounsieur the i Lautrec Generall of the French in the Kingdome of Naples had to take the Citie of Naples if he had pursued the Prince of Orange as the rules of warre required after he had routed his Army was the cause of this valiant Commanders death and the losse of the whole Kingdome of Naples 6. The omission of the opportunity of an houres time that Henry the fourth k King of France had to defeat the Duke of Parme and all his Army at a strait passage leading to the ford of a small River three small Leagues from Paris where he had purposed to fall upon him was the cause he was constrained to raise his siege and to see before his face that great City relieved that was then reduced to extreme Misery by want of Provisions This slip of opportunity proceeding certainly from the secret will of God that decreed that Paris should be yeelded presently after to the will and obedience of her lawfull Prince without the shedding of a drop of bloud for Henry the fourth was one of the most active and experienced Commanders of that Age Now I come to prove by Instances out of the Word of God that all opportunities are guided and directed by the speciall providence of God 1. The favourable opportunity of l Rebekah comming the first of all the Virgins to the well according to the request of Abrahams servant cannot be said to be accidentall for the circumstances doe so clearly manifest that it was guided by a speciall Providence of God 2. The gracious opportunity of the m Ishmaelites comming by presently after Josephs brethren had cast him into a Pit that he might be sold and led into Egypt to become the preserver of all his fathers family came not casually but by a speciall and gracious providence of God proceeding from the love and care he hath of his Children 3. The blessed opportunity of n Pharaohs daughter comming down to wash her selfe at the River Nylus was not accidentall but directed by an admirable Providence of God to save Moses that he might be instructed in all the Sciences of the Egyptians to be more able to discharge the great and honourable charge the Lord had appointed him unto viz. to be the deliverer of his elected people of Israel that groaned under the cruell bondage of the Egyptians 4. The favourable opportunity for o Saul of the losse of the Asses of Kish his father came not accidentally but by a speciall Providence of God that Saul might be privately anointed King of Israel according to the will and pleasure of the Lord neither did those signes that the Prophet Samuel told him he should meet withall upon the way as he returned homeward happen casually but by the speciall Providence of God that the words he had spoken by his Prophet concerning the election of Saul to the Crowne of Israel might be confirmed 5. The gracious opportunity that p Hushat tooke by the fore-lock to overthrow the wise Counsell of Ahithophel came not accidentally but by an admirable Providence of God that Ahithophel might for his former impious Counsell concerning King Davids concubines runne head-long to confusion notwithstanding his worldly wisdome and that Absalom should receive the just reward of his persidious and abhorred rebellion against so loving a Father 6. The blessed opportunity that q Hezekiah King of Judah tooke upon the blasphemies of Rabshakeh against God and the Temple of Jerusalem to goe up into the House of the Lord and there rehearsed all the words of Rabshakeh and rent his clothes and humbled himselfe greatly was the cause that the Lord hearkened to his prayer and sent one of his Angels into the Camp of the Assyrians and smote one hundred and fourescore thousand of his men and caused Sennacherib to returne the same way he came 7. The gracious opportunity that r Nehemiah tooke upon the King Artaxerxes notice of his dejected countenance for his extraordinary humiliation because of the desolation of Jerusalem was the cause that he obtained a Commission from the King to erect again the Temple of Jerusalem and to restore there the true worship of God and to deliver from Captivity many thousands of the Jewes 8. The blessed opportunity that Queene s Esther took by the fore-lock to petition to the King Ahasuerus when he was invited to her banket for the preservation of herself and of her people was the cause of one of the greatest blessings that ever happened to the Church of the Jewes for it was the cause of the preservation of all the Nation of the Jewes and of the House and Family of King David from which our blessed Saviour according to the flesh was to descend and therefore an incomparable blessing By these and the former Instances we may see that the observations or omissions of all Spirituall Civill and Military opportunities depend upon the speciall Providence of God and that they are guided and directed by it to that end that God in his wisedome knowes to be most convenient to conduce to the greater advancement of his glory and the good of his Church And that we are to addresse our humble supplications to him alone if we intend for the future to prevent the slips of such opportunities as he shall be pleased to afford unto us againe or be able to embrace them as so many gracious mercies of his favour to us in Christ And that we are also to humble ourselves before our gracious God for having hitherto so carelesly omitted ten speciall opportunities that might greatly have conduced to obtaine a blessed peace and to procure a happy Period to this Unnaturall Warre if he had been pleased to have given us the grace to have embraced them by which omission of ours and by as many more faire opportunities omitted by the other party by the like Providence of his we may be perswaded upon a sure ground since it is his pleasure to poise in the balance of his divine Justice the events of this Unnaturall Warre so equally that our Humiliation
therefore it is by warre that so many Nations Kingdomes and Common-weales have been utterly destroyed and consumed and above all by an intestine and Civill warre for a Nation being weakned by her own hands it breeds an opportunity for forraigne Princes to fall upon it and subvert and conquer the same But forraigne warres are often profitable to Kingdomes or Common-weales so they be managed without the limits of those Kingdomes or Common-weales Carthage flourished as long as b Hannibal wasted Italy But when Scipio came with a great Army to their gates misery and destruction issued upon it c England flourished when war was maintained in France but when the English were driven home it was wasted and desolated by Civill commotions and an intestine warre And therefore it is a sound and a sure Maxime or Reason of State to entertaine warre abroad that a Kingdome may be freed from it at home And this Maxime was carefully observed by the Romanes for a long time but as soon as they neglected the same they fell into civill contentions and into intestine warres As long as the French Nation entertained warres in Italy to recover the right they had in the Kingdome of Naples and in the Duchy of Milan France did prosper and flourish but as soon as that fatall Peace was concluded between d Henry the second King of France and Philip King of Spaine by the procurement of the Constable of France that aimed more at his own ends then to advance the honour of his King and the good of his native Countrie And that Savoy Piedmont and the rest of the dominions that the French held in Italy were made over to the Duke of Savoy as an inconsiderate dowry of King Henries daughter that he tooke to wife then issued presently after the destructive Civill warres of France that continued three and thirty yeares and consumed above eight hundred thousand men of the French Nation and brought that Kingdome to the very brim of destruction But when it had pleased God by an unexpected mercy and by the wisedome valour and clemencie of * Henry the fourth to reunite the alienated affections of that populous nation and to keepe or observe the above-said Maxime and to drive this intestine warre into Artois and Flanders and to fire the dominions of the Incendiarie of the French Civill warres then began that Kingdome to flourish again for this diversion procured an honourable peace of ten yeares for the French in the which that politick King to entertaine the foresaid Maxime sent most of the licentious and contentious spirits of his Kingdome unto Hungaria and into the low Countries and by these meanes restored that desolated Kingdome into a most flourishing estate And his Counsellours of State that had the managing of the Military and Politick affaires of the Kingdome after his death during the Minority of Lewis the 13. his son perceiving that for want of forraigne employment the French Nobility began to soment Civill Commotions in the Kingdome aided by the Spanish faction they were constrained to embrace again this ancient Maxime which they have constantly observed to this day and have by it maintained the honour of their King and much increased their Dominions Even so out of this principle or Reason of State did Queene e Elizabeth undertake the protection of the Low Countries that the English Nobility might have employment abroad and exercise themselves in Military exploits that she might have alwayes ready some experienced Commanders and Officers of Capacity to leade an Army if her enemies attempted any invasion upon her dominions and this her wise and politick course succeeded most happily for she maintained thereby her Kingdome in peace and in a prosperous condition suppressed the rebellions in Ireland aided the French with her Treasures and with experienced Commanders Officers and Souldiers curbed the insolencie of the Spaniard by Sea and made the naturall colour of that element to be often changed into Crimson by the undaunted valour and the great experience of her Commanders Officers and Mariners in Sea-fights And by her warlike expeditions to Cales and the West India increased her Ships and Navies and all manner of Trade and commerce and left at her death England and Ireland in a prosperous peace and condition By these Instances and many more that might be produced to the same end it is apparent that forraigne warres are often times profitable in these foure cases so they be managed out of the limits of a Kingdome or Common-weale 1. It purgeth them of licentious men 2. It frees them of Civill commotions and intestine warres 3. It is a Nurcery for Commanders and experienced Officers 4. It increaseth commerce and trading and doth rather inrich a Kingdome then waste the same 1. The Romanes never inroled any souldiers for their forraign warres out of their inhabitants or Citizens before all the licentious and contentious men that are apt to breed Civill commotions had been f inroled and when they had subdued a Kingdome or Province they erected Colonies in it where they sent all the most licentious men of their City and their old souldiers to whom they appointed so much land as they might live with all 2. It frees a Kingdome from Civill commotions for if licentious and needy people find but some discontented Nobles to side withall they will presently foment a party and kindle the fire of a Civill warre but as the only way to quench a fire is to take from it the combustible matter that increaseth the same even so to prevent Civill distractions we are to purge the City and Kingdome of licentious and decaied men and to send them away into forraigne warres 3. Few or none are ignorant that the Germane and the Low Countrie warres have beene the Nurcery of the greater part of the experienced English French and Scotch Commanders and Officers that are now in these dayes It is true that of these three Nations the number of the English is the smallest because that in the peaceable Raigne of King James Commanders and Officers of experience in warre were not regarded yet those that out of a naturall inclination to Armes went thither to be trained up are not inferiour to any but the number of them is so small that they are now constrained to employ licentious Germanes for principall officers but Germany Sweden and England it selfe is beholden to the Scots for Commanders and Officers of warre And for the French the Maxime of Henry the fourth afore related hath much increased the Capacity of the French Nobility and of their foot souldiers in martiall exploits so that for seiges or battels they are not inferiour to any And therefore forraigne warres are the Nurcery of experienced Commanders and Officers of warre 4. For the increase of Trade and Commerce the forraigne warre that the French and the Hollanders have maintained these many yeares against the House of Austria hath much increased their trade and commerce and are now
growne more opulent in wealth then all other Nations in Christendome This may seeme a paradox to some yet it is most certain for although the French are extraordinarily burdened with taxes yet because the Countrie men are freed from plundering and pillaging and their cattell and corne secured and trades men set at worke and the commerce of all manner of Commodities in request to furnish the great Armies they entertaine upon the enemies frontiers the money of their contributions remaineth in the Kingdome as it goes out of one hand for taxes and contributions so it comes in on the other for the great utterance they have of all their Commodities But alas it is cleane contrary in this Civill and Unnaturall Warre of ours for the trading and commerce is utterly decaid in the City and in all the Boroughs and Market Townes of the Kingdome most of the Countrey people are plundered of their moneys goods and cattell the Gentlemen have their grounds cast up upon their hands although they pay all charges and abate halfe their rent and no redresse to be had and the Sequestrations of the one side or the other bring them to penury and disable them be they never so willing to contribute any longer to this warre by which meanes this Kingdome is likely to fall into an incurable consumption because of three pernicious qualities besides the miseries above-said that pertaine to her alone and not to other Civill warres 1. It is of a consuming nature 2. It is accompanied with an unparalelled infidelity 3. It is of an unknowne Method I. For her consuming nature it may justly be compared to the Hectick Feaver that consumes not onely the flesh of all the members of the body but also by degrees the vitall spirits the radicall humours and the very marrow in the bones of her patients untill she hath brought them to their grave more like an Anatomy then a Corps Or like unto a fire kindled in a house seated in one of the corners of a long street the flames of which fire being driven by a violent wind along that row of houses doth at last consume the whole street for want of pulling down speedily three or foure houses next to that house that was first of all set on fire to stop the flames of it to proceed any further Even so the flames of the fire of this unnaturall warre that brake forth in the North was driven by the violent winds of jealousie and discontent into the North West and then to the South West and at last to the furthest part of the West and so by degrees hath consumed already three parts of the Kingdome and left in the other part but a small degree of vitall spirits for want of pulling down three or foure houses to stop the flame of it from going any further I meane for want of such Counsell as was given to g Charles the seventh King of France by his wise Counsellours that he should give over to quench the fire of the Civill contentions fomented between the Houses of Orleance and Burgundy that had almost consumed his Kingdome into the hands of Justice at the request of Philip Duke of Burgundy some of his Favourites that had their hands in the murder of his father to which Counsell he condescended unto although this murder had been committed with his assent whereby such a firme reconciliation was procured between these two Houses that it fell out to be the secondary Cause of the restoring of that desolated Kingdome into its former flourishing Estate Or for want after the Noble Ambassage and the humble Petitions of the Honourable Houses had been rejected to have sent speedily a thousand horse in the North untill a strong Army had been sent to stop the flames of this fire to goe beyond the River of Trent But by our accustomed delayes and the small forces that were sent to Woster the fire of this Unnaturall Warre hath spread it selfe as it is to be seen at this present day and is like to spread further and to consume the rest if God in his Mercy prevent it not and induce the Honourable Houses to change the Method of this lingring and destructive Warre II. For the unparallelled infidelity of some of the Agents of one of the partiés all the Civill warres of the ancient Greeks and Romanes or of the moderne intestine warres of the French and the Germane Nation cannot produce so much infidelity and apostacy as may be collected out of these three yeares warre For where they sided at the first they remained constant to the last in that party and never deserted the same untill an Accommodation was procured Nay divers of them have sealed their constancie with their h death rather then to accept of their liberty upon condition to serve against their party But divers of ours that make show to fight for Religion more then for pay betray the trust reposed in them and doe us more mischiefe then any of the contrary party And it is no wonder for Christian Runagadoes are more cruell to Christians then the naturall Turks and the Protestant Apostates are greater enemies to the godly then the professed Papists and the hypocriticall Saints are more violent against the true Power of Godlinesse then the Prince of darknesse The cause of this infidelity may proceed 1. From the toleration of divers religions for men that are not well grounded in the true Principles of Religion are never cautious of their wayes and will betray their own fathers for money 2. From the great Clemencie of the Honourable Houses for if the perfidious Synons of the North had been severely punished so many Iudasses would not have been found in the West to procure that blow that we have received there lately Clemencie is an Heroicall vertue but infidelitie is incapable of it because it is so pernicious a seed that except it be pulled up by the root it will over-grow the garden of the Common-weale 3. From the partiall election of our politick and Military Officers that are for the greater part preferred by favour and not for their sincerity in Religion or for their integrity and wisdome in politick or Civill affaires nor for their valour or experience in Martiall exploits but for feare to displease or to please some in Authoritie and that is the reason why we have so many weake Committees in the City and in our Counties and so many unexpert Commanders and Officers in our Armies that dare not look the enemies in the face nor know not how to leade a Troope of horse to a charge nor set a Company of foot in a posture of defence And these are they that out of timiditie inconstancie and for want of experience in warlike affaires spinne out this unnaturall Warre by surrendring of places of great concernement that will prove deare favours unto us The remedy of this is to punish severely the Synons of these dayes and to imitate in our elections the method and
Poets to induce men to reverence Justice fained her to be a Goddesse descended from Heaven wearing a skarfe over her eyes holding a paire of ballances in her left hand and a naked sword in her right To intimate by her skarfe her impartiality by the ballances her wisedome and by the sword her activity By her impartiality she is to make no distinction of persons whether they be noble rich or poore she is to doe Justice to all By her wisdome she is to poise a right all actions occurrences and circumstances whatsoever to aggrave or moderate her censure or judgement by her activity she is to be speedy avoiding delayes and reprives for time is a producer of accidents that perverts hinders the execution of Justice and so farre doth naturall morality instruct men concerning Justice But Gods Word and the Principles of Christianitie doth informe men That Justice is ordained of God and one of his greatest Attributes for he is as Just as Mercifull and that he hath intrusted the sword of Justice to Princes and Magistrates to execute impartially justly and speedily Justice and Judgement upon the sonnes of men that are naturally prone to evill and backward to good by the seed of their originall corruption that remaineth in them which like Tinder is apt to receive the sparkes of the fire that Satan strikes by the steele of his tentations out of those carnall objects that are more sutable to their naturall inclinations Now this aptnesse to evill increased by the allurements of Satan doth inflame their affections to all manner of licentious desires and by degrees drawes their will to assent to the execution of them and this execution or injoyment of sin doth create an habite in evill and this habite produceth an allowance of sinne that bringeth forth a shamelesse impudencie to uphold all manner of impiety and so by degrees conduces them to a hardnesse of heart and without a speciall Grace of God to a reprobate sense that would carry them head-long like wilde horses to eternall confusion if God by his Law and his restraining Spirit did not bridle their licentiousnesse Therefore knowing the naturall disposition of men he was pleased for to curbe their wicked inclination to write with his owne hand upon two Tables of stone his ten a Commandements for the regulating of his owne elected people of Israel over whom he committed his servant Moses and intrusted him with the sword of Justice as his speciall Deputy to administer Justice and Judgement to his People But he finding himselfe overburdered with so great a charge by the Counsell of Jethro appointed divers other subordinate Magistrates elected out of the wisest men of all the Tribes of Israel that judged the people but only in some difficult cases that he reserved to himselfe Now these ten Commandements have been and are the Ground-worke of all other divine and humane Lawes that have been multiplyed from time to time according to the increase of the malice and the impiety of men For in the yeare sixe hundred of the Foundation of Rome the Romanes had no Law for b Paricides but at that time an impious sonne having murdred his Father a law was made he should be sowne up into a lether sack and cast alive into the River of Tyber But it is not the multiplicity of Lawes that makes a Nation happy it is rather the speedy and the unpartiall execution of them for it fals out too often That delay of Justice is meere injustice because many men are undone by the long and tedious delayes of Justice and divers are constrained to suffer wrong rather then they will consume their estates in procuring of Justice Now if this multiplicity of Lawes are suffered to have a nose of wax that may be turned or construed on the right or on the left side as the Judge pleaseth Or like unto the she Spiders webb that serveth onely to insnare small flyes that the male Spider may devoure them but permits the bussing Waspe to breake thorow the same without impediment they will be like so many Leaches to suck the bloud of the common people and in a short time cast a Kingdome into intestine contentions as ours is at this time and all for want of the execution of the Lawes and wholesome Statutes that were established in Edward the sixth and Queene Elizabeths time against the Recusants and Sectaries The speedy and unpartiall execution of Justice is then the very Atlas that supports and maintaines a Kingdome in prosperitie and Peace It entertaines forraigne confederations It drawes the blessing of God upon it It foments love and unity among Subjects It increaseth Trade and commerce betweene Merchants and between Citizen Trades-men and countrey people Nay it is the very Court of Guard of all his Majesties Subjects In a word the Omission and delay of Justice is odious to God destructive to Kingdomes and fatall to families and private men the which I will endeavour to prove by Instances But that I may goe on in a Methodicall way I will in the first place insist upon the danger of the delay and the omitting of it Secondly upon the benefits that accrew upon the speedy and unpartiall execution of it And thirdly how acceptable a thing it is to God if Justice be uprightly administred and how odious it is to him if it be delayed or neglected 1. The Omission of Justice by c Tarquinius the Elder upon Sextus Tarquinius his sonne for the Rape of Lucretia was the cause that he and his Posteritie were deprived of the Romane Monarchy 2. The Omission of Justice by the nine Decemviri upon Appius Claudius their Collegue for his injustice and impiety concerning Virginia was the cause of the death of that chast d Virgin of the abhorred end of Appius of the perpetuall banishment of his nine fellow tyrants 3. The Omission of Justice by e Demetrius King of Macedonia to his poore Subjects for they having tendred him many Petitions to have their grievances redressed he cast them all into a river whereupon they were so incensed that they refused to assist him against his forraine enemies and so was deprived of his Kingdome and taken prisoner by Seleucus the great 4. The Omission of Justice by f Philip the first King of Macedonia upon some of his Favourites that had abused a Gentleman in his honour that petitioned for redresse was the cause that he was perfidiously murdered by the same Gentleman contrarie to the Lawes of God that doth not allow a Subject to avenge his private wrongs or to conceive an ill thought for them against his Soveraigne 5. The Omission of Justice by the g Ephores of the Lacedemonians upon two of their Military Officers for the committing of a Rape and Murder upon a Country-mans daughter was the cause that the Father of that Virgin slew himselfe out of despaire and that those two Officers and sixe thousand Lacedemonians more were slaine in a battell
fought close to the very same towne where that Rape and Murder had been committed Plutarch affirming that the Gods were impatient to suffer any longer their delay of Justice 6. The Omission of Justice by Cicero and some other Senators upon Iulius Caesar that was of the Conspiracie of h Catilina was the cause of the losse of the Romanes Libertie and of the miserable end of Cicero and of the greater part of those Romane Senators 7. The Omission of Justice by i Henry the fourth King of France upon the whole Societie of Jesuites inhabiting his dominions for an attempt made upon his sacred Person by a Student of their Societie was the cause he was three years after perfidiously murdered by their instigation by that horrid Paricide Ravilliac 8. The deniall of Justice by the Inhabitants of k Gibeah for the Murder committed upon the Levites Concubine was the cause of the death of forty thousand Israelites and of the utter extermination of the Tribe of Benjamine six hundred men only excepted 9. The Indulgence of Eli to his two l sonnes Hophni and Phineas was the cause of his suddaine death of the miserable end of his sonnes and of this heavie curse upon his Posteritie I have sworne saith the Lord unto the house of Eli that the wickednesse of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 10. The Omission of Justice by King m David upon Amnon his sonne for the Rape of Tamar was the cause of the Murder of Amnon of the rebellion and of the miserable end of Absalom 11. The Omission of Justice by King n David upon the house of Saul because he had contrarie to the Oath of the People of Israel destroyed the greater part of the Gibeonites was the cause of three yeares famine in Israel that ceased not before Justice had been executed upon seven men of the house of Saul 12. The Omission of Justice by o Ahab upon Benhadad was the cause of his death and of this fearefull denunciation against him Thus saith the Lord because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I had appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people For the second of the benefits that accrew by the speedy and unpartiall execution of Justice 1. A certaine King of the Locresians having made a Law against p Adultery That whosoever should be convinced of it should have both his eyes put out His onely Sonne being the first he immediately caused his sonnes left eye and his own right eye to be put out before all his Subjects to authorize his Law and to execute Justice for which he was reverenced beloved and honoured by all men in his life time and is in these dayes admired for his unpartiall execution of Justice 2. Lucius q Iunius Brutus first Consul of the Romanes having been informed that two of his sonnes divers of his Nephewes and many young noble men had conspired to deliver up the City of Rome to Tarquinius he caused them to be apprehended sate with the Judges at their Triall and being convinced accompanied them to the block perswading the executioner to rid the world speedily of such Traitours to their Countrey and so by this unpartiall Justice of his he preserved his Common-weale and was so beloved and honoured of his Citizens that the Romane Ladies mourned a whole yeare for his death 3. Titus r Manlius Generall of the Romanes having caused to be proclaimed thorow his Army that none upon paine of death should fight against any of the Latines their enemies that were incamped within a mile of the Romanes Camp his sonne being appointed the next day to discover with a Troope of horse the posture of the enemie was challenged by a Chiefe Officer of the enemies horse to a single fight that came also to discover the Posture of the Romanes but he refused the Challenge because of his fathers Command yet being overcome by the insolencie of his enemie that accused him of cowardize he advanced before his Troope and fought with him slew him and carried away his Horse and Armes and was conducted with a great part of the Army in a Triumphant manner into the Camp But comming into his fathers Tent he was apprehended tried and executed in the presence of his father notwithstanding the great intreaty of the Officers of the Army Titus Manltus answering either I must by the naturall compassion of a father overthrow for ever the Military Discipline of the Romanes in pardoning my son so great an offence or by an unpartiall Justice preferre the good of my Countrey to my sonnes life This unpartiall Justice of his upon so valiant a son although it seemed rigorous to the younger sort yet the ancient Senators did greatly commend it for it fell out to be very profitable to the Romane Common-weale because it maintained their Discipline in force for a long time untill Scipio his dayes the which was revived again by this noble action following 4. Publius Scipio Generall of a great Army of the Romanes in Spaine having in a manner finished the warres and reduced that Kingdome under the Romans yoke fell sick at new Carthage upon the report of his perillous sicknesse eight thousand Romane souldiers that lay in an intrenched Camp neare to the river Succo some twenty miles distance from Carthage to preserve the confederate Counties from the incursions of the enemies began to mutiny for their pay and some licentious souldiers among them fomented the same and after they had driven away their Colonels and Captaines that opposed their rebellious actions they made choice of Albinus Calenus and Atrius Vmber two licentious common souldiers for their Commanders in Chiefe and entertained correspondencie with Mandonius and Iudibilis the Generals of the enemie and so fell a plundering their associated Counties hoping to inrich themselves without danger upon the report of their Generals death but s Scipio being somewhat recovered and past danger he sent presently six well-affected Colonels to informe them of his recovery and to perswade them to submit themselves to his mercy whereupon they began to consult what they should doe to prevent their ruine and so resolved to leave their Armes in their Camp and to goe to Carthage for their pay and to recover their Generals favour disdaining any longer to submit themselves so low as to be at the beck of two such base and ambitious fellowes as Albinus and Atrius whereupon Scipio being acquainted of their resolution fained to undertake a designe and caused his forces and carriages to advance out of towne to free the mutiners of all suspition onely commanded some trusty souldiers to welcome the Heads of them and under colour of complement to goe along with them to their lodging by which meanes they were all apprehended and fettered that night and in the morning caused all the rest to be summoned to appeare before his Tribunal
must be greater and more sincere before we can be esteemed fit for to see a gracious deliverance and a blessed end of these publike miseries I should now in this place to illustrate this point relate these twenty opportunities or advantages omitted on both sides but I desire to be excused since they are already but too evident to ingenious spirits and therefore will leave them to be exposed to the publike view in the next succeeding age by some that may then relate them truly and unpartially without feare to offend any of the Parties And will conclude this point with this Christian admonition to the true Children of God that they are all obliged in the generall and every one in their particular to pray day and night unto the Lord that he will be pleased to indue his sacred Majesty the honourable Houses of Parliament the Generals of their Armies their Magistrates and all their subordinate Officers with such supernaturall Graces Wisedome and fore-sight that they may imbrace cheerefully all such opportunities and advantages that he shall be pleased to offer unto them to obtaine a blessed Peace with Truth and to give a happy Period to these Civill distractions jealousies and contentions that will by degrees if God in his Mercy and they in their care and Wisedome prevent it not reduce this Kingdome to an incurable consumption for all advantages and opportunities in warre except they aime and tend to that blessed end of peace above-said are commonly fatall to such as require it not when they have an advantage to doe it for so it fell out with the Samnites and with Hannibal as it doth appeare by the two first instances quoted in this Chap. for it is too late to entertaine Treaties of Peace when a Kingdome is so extenuated of meanes or abilities that it can no longer contribute to the charges of warre because such a peace can neither be profitable or honourable to any of the parties for Necessity hath no law and necessity will constraine men to hard conditions There is more honour and wisedome to give a Peace then to accept of it This was the t Maxime of Henry the fourth both with his owne subjects and with the House of Austria whereby he obtained great honour and restored a desolated Kingdome into a flourishing estate over-rigorous conditions to one of the parties makes a peace of no continuance It fell out so with u Charles the fifth Emperour of Germany by the rigorous peace he inforced upon Francis the first King of France because of the advantage he had the said King being then his prisoner but it proved fatall unto him for after he had consumed in warre thirty millions of gold and spilt much Christian bloud he wonne not a foot of ground in France for all his labour and charges God grant we may rather give an honourable Peace so it be with the continuance of his Truth and his Gospell then to accept of a Peace of no continuance with seeming advantages c. The fourth Secondary Cause is Our Contentions and Divisions APelles the famous Athenian Painter was not more excellent in his Art then in wit and ingenuity for to cast the beholders of his works into a greater admiration he used to place next to the Picture of his beautiful Venus when he did expose her to the view of the Athenians the picture of an old deformed and wrinkle faced woman that by her swarty complection grim favour and ill shape the excellent Symetry lineaments and rare feature of his Venus might seeme the more wonderfull Even so it will not be impertinent for me to set forth the deformity of Contention and the dangerous effects of this infernall fury before I describe the perfection of the Angelicall beauty of Concord and Unity that she may bee more cherished and admired and the other more abhorred in these times of civill divisions Contention proceeds from ambition pride and envie as we may daily see by experience that contentious persons are generally tainted with these vices that come from fulnesse of bread ease and a long and continued Peace Now contentions produce divisions and divisions breed factions and factions an intestine warre and all these an Antipathie of affections which never was greater in any Kingdome then it is in this at this present time for the father is divided against his sonne and the sonne against the father and the husband against the wife and the wife against her husband one brother against his brother and one servant against his fellow servant So that there is not a City Borough Towne Village Hamlet House or Family at this present in this Kingdome but is infected with this contagious disease or venome of Contention And this is not happened casually nor accidentally but by the speciall Providence of God for our correction and humiliation if we returne unto the Lord unfainedly but for our utter destruction if we remaine and continue in our impenitencie and hardnesse of heart But some may say From whence doth proceed this Epidemicall disease or this general division we that are but wormes cannot dive into the Counsels of God yet we may by his permission aime at the secondary causes of these our Civill divisions and antipathie of affections which I conceive to be these The long peace that we have injoyed in the time of Queene Elizabeth King Iames and for 16. yeares together under our Soveraigne King Charles his raigne hath increased this Kingdome in wealth and inured us to ease idlenesse vanitie and licentiousnesse riches hath bred in some of us ambition pride envie and self-conceitednesse the very incendiaries of contentions and divisions And ease and idlenesse have begotten in us lascivious desires stubbornnesse and obstinacie to doe and beleeve what seemeth good in our own eyes and so by degrees we have forgotten our Maker and like stubborne horses have kicked at and rebelled against our gracious God I meane that we are growne desperately sinfull and have despised his Ordinances erected a will-worship and gone a whoring after new Innovations And hereupon the ambition pride covetousnesse and profanenesse of the Prelacie seconded with the Loanes Conduct and Ship-money and the apparent approaches and inclinations to Popery by the bowing crouching and kneeling at Altars Railes have made us groane for a Reformation in Civill and Ecclesiasticall miscarriages The which to oppose the Prelacie and the Jesuiticall faction under colour to increase his Majesties Prerogative have withdrawne his love and his person from his most faithfull Parliament perswaded him to forsake his Royall Seat to goe to York to raise an Army under colour of a Guard for his Person to annihilate the Priviledges of Parliament the Laws of the Land and the Liberties of the Subjects and so formed the first partie in the North whereupon the honourable Houses were of necessity inforced to gather forces not to oppose his sacred Majestie but those that under his name endeavour as much as they can to undoe the
might be produced to prove how dangerous it is for a State to employ Commanders in Chiefe in one Service that have had formerly or may yet have secretly some Antipathie of affections so much predominant are the passions of men over their naturall reason except they be curbed and restrained by a great measure of supernaturall Grace Now having sufficiently described some part of the deformity and of the dangerous effects of this fury of contention and division I come to shew the sweet Harmony and the excellent fruits of Unity and Concord The whole frame of nature without Concord and Unity would suddenly be changed into a Chaos of confusion if the powerfull hand of the Almighty did permit contention to raigne between any of the elements for we see what strange combustions happen in the aire for a small distemper that befals sometimes between the Meteors Concord and Unity is the humane saviour and preserver of Kingdomes and Common-weales A s Kingdome divided against it selfe cannot subsist saith our Saviour And how much lesse shall a weaker party subsist if it be divided by contentions and Antipathies of affections as ours is It was an ingenious Metaphor used by a Scythian t King to induce his sonnes to Unity To command a servant of his to bring before him a bundle of Arrowes knit together and to charge his sonnes one after another to endeavour to breake the same but they were not able whereupon he bad them to take them one by one and they brake them all easily Even so said he to them If you remaine constantly united one with another it will be impossible for the neighbour Nations to subdue or overcome you but if you let divisions and contentions be fomented among you you will become the prey of your meanest enemies And for the greater confirmation of the point I will endeavour to prove it by Instances both ancient and moderne 1. As long as the Ancient Greeks continued in unitie one with another it was impossible for u Philip the first King of Macedonia to reduce them into servitude But as soon as they by the covetousnesse of some of their Oratours were divided into factions it was an easie thing for him and Alexander the great his sonne to deprive them of their liberty 2. As long as the Romane Senatours were linked in unity one with another the Romane liberty was preserved and their Common-weale flourished and commanded the greater part of the world but as soon as they were divided into factions some for x Pompeius other for Caesar other for Crassus and other for Lepidus Caesar in a short time deprived them of their liberty 3. As long as the ancient y Gaules and Britanes were united together they flourished and sacked the Citie of Rome But when they were divided into factions by the Romane agents they were in a short time subdued by the Romanes 4. The Unitie and Concord that was among the z Commanders in Chiefe of the Protestant Party in the Civill warres of France was the only meanes after Gods favour of their subsistance for one cannot otherwise chuse that reads that History but admire the wisdome and meeknesse of the Admirall of Chatillon and the great industry he used to accord with the incompatible dispositions and naturall inclinations of some that were violent and fiery in all their designes and enterprises as was the Prince of Conde and Monsieur Dandelot and others yet with his humility and meeknesse he did quench all contentions that did arise from this Antipathy of dispositions and kept alwayes their will and affections constantly united to the Generall Cause 4. The unity and concord that was between Fabius Maximus P. b Decius two great Generals and Scipio and Lellius two other great Commanders was wonderfully profitable to the Romane Common-weale and that of Phocion and of Aristides to the Athenians Common-weale 5. The unity of c Themistocles and Aristides that were otherwise mortall enemies in their private affaires was extremely profitable to all the Greeks in the Councell of warre that was called by Euripidias their Generall before the battell of Salamine for their unity in opinion was the cause to obtaine that famous victory and of the preservation of all the Greeks 6. As long as the Duke of d Sommerset and the Lord Admirall his brother in the time of Edward the sixth King of England were united and linked in love and affections one with the other they preserved their credit and honours at Court against all their opposites But as soon as they came to be disunited and that by the instigations of their Ladies private discontents and contentions were fomented the Lord Admirall was presently arraigned by the connivance and the want of the assistance and support of the Lord Protector his brother and he himselfe shortly after by the potency of his adversaries brought to the same miserable end To conclude this point all the well affected Christians are obliged to pray daily to our gracious God that he will be pleased to indue abundantly the honourable Houses our Commanders in Chiefe the Assembly of Divines the Civill Magistrates the Militia the Committees in the City and in all the well-affected Counties the Citizens and common people with this speciall grace of Unity and Concord and with an unanimous spirit and resolution to maintaine his Truth his sacred Majesties just Prerogative the Priviledges of Parliament the Lawes of the Land and the Liberties of the Subject according to our last Covenant The fifth Secondary Cause is The unknowne Method of our Warre OF all the Judgements of God that are familiar to men the Pestilence the Famine and the Sword are reputed to be the greatest And of these three Warre is esteemed the most dreadfull And of all Warres the Civill is conceived to be the most destructive And therefore it is no wonder when the Lord sent his Prophet Gad to King David saying a Thus saith the Lord Choose thee Either three yeeres famine or three monthes to be destroyed before thy foes while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee or else three dayes the sword of the Lord even the Pestilence c. if that good King did rather chuse to fall into the hand of the Lord for very great are his mercies then into the hands of cruell men Neither doe we finde in any ancient or moderne Histories that any Nation or Kingdome hath been utterly destroyed by the Pestilence or the famine for these two Judgements proceed more immediately from the hand of God that is mercifull and leave alwayes a remnant as an evidence to men of his incomprehensible compassions and mercies But Warre seemes more to proceed from men yet there is not any warre that hath any beginning continuance or end without the speciall will and pleasure of God that are of a more cruell disposition then Tygers when the Lord hath cast the bridell of permission over their neckes And
Canoneers lives that would otherwise be exposed to the Canon shot of the enemies If it be a City or a great garrison Towne then it requires two platformes and two batteries with six Canons apiece the one on the one side of the towne and the other on the other side and both these platformes and batteries are to be made and to begin to play at the breake of the day that shall be appointed for the storme and so they are to continue without intermission untill they have made two breaches of twenty yards broad apiece and the dikes to be levelled with the rubbish even with the firme ground Now if these breaches cannot be done in one day then are the Commanders to give order that some Companies of Musquetteers be appointed to stand on the two flanks of the breaches all night one company after another to fire their Musquets at randome into the breaches to hinder the defendants to repaire the breaches or from retrenching of themselves within it And then the next morning to storme againe without intermission untill the breach be sufficient and the dike levelled as afore-said And in the meane time the Commanders may set in order their reserves to come to a generall Assault after this manner following 6. In our manner of Assaults There is an erroneous opinion crept in the minde of some men that say we are not to take Townes or Castles by storming assaults to avoid the shedding of Christian bloud but we ought rather to take them by famine But these men are either ignorant of the events of warre or desire this unnaturall warre should be spinned out untill the Kingdome were utterly consumed For it is certaine that long sieges consume more men by diseases ten for one then are slaine by storming or assaults as it shall be proved by Instances 1. 2 Vigentia a great City in Italy was besieged ten yeares by the Romans and at that siege was the use of Tents first of all invented because of the number of Souldiers that perished by diseases that did proceed from the wet and cold they endured in Winter time and Furius Camilius took the same in a moneth by a Mine and a generall assault 2. The siege of a Marseilles under Francis the first and the siege of Mests under Henry the second Kings of France consumed above threescore thousand men by diseases because the Emperour Charles the fifth strove to take them by famine 3. The Protestants in the second Civill warre of France besieged the City of b Poitiers with an Army of thirty thousand men and because they did not storme it at their first coming they lost above six thousand men by diseases and were inforced to raise the siege 4. The c Earle of Foix Generall for the French in the Kingdome of Naples having besieged the City of Naples lost his owne life and the greater part of his Army before it by the Pestilence because he fell not a storming of it at his first coming In a word long sieges consume more men treasure and time then townes that are taken by assault There are so many accidents that happen by the long time that a Towne requires for to be taken by famine that the events of it are very seldome successefull or happy and there is no towne or Castle but may be taken by storming as it may be proved by instances 1. Henry the fourth took d Moutmeillan Castle in eight dayes that had required two yeares siege for it stood upon a steep Rock judged of the greater part of his Commanders impregnable and well provided of Ammunition and provisions But he having viewed thes at of it himselfe saw there was another steep rock within Canon shot of it whereupon he gave a Regiment of Switzers a Largesse to draw up upon that rock six Canons with the strength of their armes and these being pointed and storming the same furiously the defendants yeelded upon composition If the like was done to Scarborow Castle it would be taken in three dayes for it is nothing to the fore-named in seat and fortifications and it hath also a hill that commands the same and likewise Beaver Castle that is also commanded by a hill 2. The Towne of Gravilling one of the strongest Garrisons in Flanders that had required two yeares siege to take it by famine because it had three double dikes of forty foot broad and twenty foot deep and all flanked with bastions made with Casamates and no probabilitie to come to an assault without Galleries yet the French did so terrifie the defendants by their furious batteries and assaults that they were constrained to deliver the same upon composition before it had been fully besieged three months 3. Our brethren the Scots might have endured many a wet and cold night before New-Castle and have spinned out that siege untill the next Spring if they had not nobly and valiantly stormed the same If Basing house and Banbury Castle had been stormed with sixe Canons that might have made such breaches as are spoken of before and had the besiegers given such an assault so ordered and the men so armed as followed they had not lost their reputation as they have nor left that work undone to spinne out this warre to the next yeare When a breach of twenty yards broad is made and the dike filled up as aforesaid even with the firme ground then are three reserves to march after one another in this manner but if there be two breaches then six reserves are to be in a readinesse and every reserve is to consist of fifty nine men that is for every breach one hundred threescore and seventeen men and for the two breaches it is three hundred fifty foure men These men are to be chosen men of the most valiant and experienced souldiers of the Army for raw souldiers are not to have that honour neither would they stand to so furious a storme but would turne back and run away and over-throw the designe for among the French the Marshals of France Earles and Barons doe not disdaine to be of the first ranke that go up to the breach and those of the first ranke are to be of the most e eminent in birth and degree this first ranke are to be all Rondachiers armed from the head to the knees with armour of proofe with broad swords in their right hands to cut the enemies pikes their Rondachiers in the left and a Pistoll ready charged at their girdle and are to be placed a foot asunder that the next ranke of nineteene Musquetteers may fire their Musquets between that foot light and these Musquetteers are to be armed with good swords on their side a buffe coat on their back and a Pistoll ready charged at their girdle and a head piece on their head they are to march two yards distant from the Rondachiers and next to them are to be a ranke of twenty Pike-men armed with Corselets and Cuisiers of
peace is when it is in a prosperous condition in Armes And notwithstanding this prosperity their propositions are to be equall and just that the peace grounded upon them may be of continuance For the first if the Carthaginians had required a peace of the Romanes after their victory at Cannes they had undoubtedly obtained a peace upon honourable conditions but because they delaid to require a peace till a Hannibal and Syphax with their Armies were utterly defeated and Scipio his Army advanced to the wals of Carthage they were inforced to embrace any conditions of peace If b Antiochus the great had required a peace of the Romanes when they had warre with Phillip King of Macedonia he had obtained honourable conditions of Peace but because he delaid to require a peace till he and all his Forces were driven out of Greece and himself with a potent Army defeated in Asia he was inforced to accept very hard conditions of peace which was to forsake all the dominions he had on this side the Mount Taurus to leave thē to the will pleasure of his victorious enemies For the second a peace cōcluded upon unequall cōditions is never of any long continuance The first c Punick warre was ended by a rigorous peace for the Carthaginians And therefore as soon as they had an opportunity they brake that Peace and began a more cruell war And the first Peace made between the Romanes and Philip the second King of d Macedonia was of no continuance because the conditions were too rigorous for the Macedonians The peaces that were concluded between Charles the ninth and Henry the third e Kings of France and their Protestant Subjects were of no continuance because they were not sincere but only varnisht over with dissimulation and proved rather snares to the poore Protestants then profitable Accommodations but on the other side the Peaces that f Henry the fourth concluded with his rebellious Subjects and with the House of Austria were of long continuance because it was the Maxime of that generous King to be rather too remisse then rigorous in his conditions of peace for when he had brought the Catholike g League upon their knees that had rebelliously proclaimed him incapable of the Crowne injured his sacred person and desolated his Kingdome by the forraigne Forces they brought in to dis-throne their naturall King yet did he grant unto them honourable conditions of peace and spilt not a drop of their bloud in vindication of their abhorred carriage towards him And for the House of Austria although it had hatched that Cockatrice of the Catholike League and fomented the Civill warre in France for three and thirty yeares together yet after he had recovered the City of Amiens out of their hands and driven back the potent Army of the Archduke Matthias into Flanders with great losse and dishonour and was advancing into Artois with his victorious Army he embraced the Propositions of peace that were offered him by Philip the second King of Spaine and was so just and equall in his demands notwithstanding he had the advantage in Armes that the Peace that was then concluded was of long continuance But the Emperour Charles the fifth by the rigorous conditions of Peace he imposed upon Francis the first King of France that was his prisoner against the wise counsell of that famous Politician h Cardinall Ximenez that counselled him to set freely the said King at libertie and to take no advantage at all of his imprisonment nor to require but equall and just conditions of Peace from him filled all Christen dome with war and brought upon himselfe such incredible charges that caused his hoary head to descend to the grave with sorrow and vexation of mind And the greatest Politician of our dayes the i Cardinall de Richlieu did counsell Lewis the thirteenth King of France to be in all the conditions of peace that he tendered to the Dukes of Savoy and Lorraine and to his owne Protestant subjects rather remisse thē too rigorous as being the safer way for to attain to a sure and a constant peace Now since it hath pleased God to infuse into the hearts of all the Members of the honourable Houses such an earnest desire to Peace as they are now ready to tender and to send Propositions of Peace to his sacred Majestie I conceive we are all obliged in generall in particular to addresse our fervent Prayers to the throne of Grace that God would be pleased to infuse into his Majesties heart a true desire to conclude such a peace as may tend to the advancement of Gods glory the good of his Church and to the reunion of his Majesties love with his most loyall Parliament as the onely meanes to make his sacred Person and all his dominions blessed and happy And that he may for ever hereafter have in his mind his Royall Fathers Motto Beati pacisici The sixth Secondary Cause is The want of Perseverance THe Perseverance in the wayes of righteousnesse is a supernaturall Grace and a free gift of God but in Civill Politike and Military actions it is a gift of nature or a property acquired by education or practise that doth oftentimes overcome the naturall instinct in men and in unreasonable creatures as it shall appeare by these instances 1. a Socrates that was reputed by the Oracle of Apollo the wisest the most temperate and the meekest man of all the Greeks was naturally inclined to inconstancie licentiousnesse and wrath as he did aver before his Disciples when they derided in their schooles one that affirmed by the Phisiognomy of Socrates that he was naturally addicted to these infirmities but he overcame them by a constant observation of the rules and of the Principles of Phylosophy 2. b Lycurgus to induce the Lacedemonians to a constant Perseverance in the austere diet and Military Discipline he had established in their Lawes caused a Masty a Greyhound a Hare and a Porrige Pot to be brought before them and having loosed the Dogs set down the Pot and let goe the Hare the Masty ranne after the Hare the Grey-hound to the Porrige Pot whereupon he spake thus to them this Grey-hound was reared in a kitchin and this Masty among a kenell of hounds and custome hath over-mastered their naturall instinct even so this austere diet and military Discipline that seemes irksome to you will be easie and pleasant in continuance of time Whereupon I observe that our want of Perseverance in Armes doth rather proceed from the long neglect of our breeding and practise in war then from our naturall inclination that was formerly addicted to c Martiall exploits But before I come to the particulars of this want of a constant perseverance in Military actions and to prove the necessity of the redresse of it by instances I desire to answer an objection that will be objected by such as are not acquainted with the degrees of
future united and bound with the strongest links and bounds that be under the Sunne that is by a spirituall Conformity of Doctrine and Discipline and that the Church of God and these three Kingdomes may flourish againe under one King one Law and one Religion And that we may the sooner obtaine from our gracious God so great and so wonderfull and unexpected mercy let all the Children of God addresse their fervent Prayers to the Lord our God that he will be pleased to returne the Person the love and the affections of his Majestie to his most loyall Parliament and that he will indue him as the head and them as the principall members of the Politicke Body of this Monarchy with this spirituall Grace of Perseverance that he may be the Josiah and they the Iehoiadaes to finish and compleate this great worke of Reformation to the increase of Gods glory the Consolation of his Church and their immortall honour in this life and their eternall blisse in the life to come Amen FINIS Mat. 10. 29 30 31. a Jonah 3. 8. b Rev. 15. c 1 Sam. 15. 7. d 2 Tim. 3. 5. * Isa. 68. â—5 Mat. 7. 5. Gen. 3. 5. Luk. 18. 10 11. 1 Cor. 11. 31. k Rev. 3. 15. l Exod. 20. m See Plutarch in their lives See the whole Book of Iudges n 2 King 193 350. o 1 Kin. 22 30. p Matt. 13. 25. q Judg. 17. 3. r 1 Kin. 18. â—â— s Josh. 7. 1. t 2 Sam. 16. 21. u Matth. 12. 25. x Nehem. 6. 11. y Josh 7. 25. z Jonah 1. 15. a Exod. 20. b See the Antiquities of Rom. c Titus Livius decad. 1. lib. 1. fol. 89. d Titus Livius deca 2. lib. 3. fol 351. e See Plutarch in Demetrius his life f See Plutar. in Alexanders life g See Plut in Pelopodias life h See Plut in Cicero's life i See Pierre Mat. in the History of France k See Iudg. 20. 20 35. l 1 Sam. 4. 17. m 2 Sam. 13. n 2 Sam. 20. 1. o 1 Ki. 20. 42. p See Plut. in his Opuscui q Titus Livius in his first decad. lib. 2. r Titus Livius in his first decad. lib. 9. s Titus Livius decad 3. lib. 8. t Herodotus in his life u 2 Sam. 15. 4. x See the history of France y Speed Chron. the first of Henry the 8. z Exod. 32. 27. a 2. Sam. 1. 15. b 2 Sam. 4. 12. c 1 King 1. 6. d Num. 25. 12 13. e Deut. 33. 21. f Job 8. 3. g Prov. 8. 15. h Jer. 31. 23. i Isai. 56. 1. k Psal. 82. 3. l Isai. 58. 2. m Isai. 59. 3. n Isai. 59. 14 15. o 1 Kin 20. 42. p Tacitus in Tiberius life q See the Spanish History r See Plutarch in Demetrius his life s Titus Livius decad. 3. lib. 8. a 2 Pet. 1. 10. b Phil. 2. 10. c Jer. 36. 7. Ezek. 33. 11. d See Titus 1. vius decad. 1. lib. 9. This may be paralelled with our last blow in the West e Dan. 7. 19. f See Hannibals life g See Plutarch in Paulus Aemilius his life h See Plutarch in Lucallus his life i See Des Serres Inventary in Francis the first his life k See Des Serres Inventary in Henry the fourth his life l Gen. 14. 15. m Gen. 37. 24 25 27. n Exod. 2. 5. o 1 Sam. 10. 4 5 6. p 2 Sam. 17. 7. q 2 Kin. 9. 36. r Neh. 2. 3. s Esth. 7. 3. t See Pierie Mat. in King Henry the fourth his life a Gen. 4. 8. b Livius decad. 1. lib. 1. c Gen. 31. 1. d Judg. 9. 24. e Titus Livius dec 3. lib. 3. f See Plutarch in their lives g See Plutarch in their lives and h Caesar in his commentaries Appian in the Civill wars of the Romans i See the Turkish History k See Sleidan and the French Hist. l See Du Halian in the French History m See Stowes and Speeds Chron. n See the Civill Warres of France o See Tit. Liv. dec 1. lib. 10. p Plutarch in Fabius Maximus his life q See Des Serres Inventary in the year 1500. r See the History of France in the time of Henry the fourth s Matth. 12. 25. t See Herodolus his History u See Demosthenes his life x See Pompey his life y See Caesars Commentaries z See the Civill Wars of France and La Noâ—â—e his Politicke and Military Discourses b Titus Livius dec 1. lib. 10. c See Plutarch in their lives d See Stowes Chron. See Speeds Chron. a 1 Chron. 21. 12 13. b See Hannibal in his life c See the Chronicle of England d See the History of France * See Matth. in Henry the fourthâ—i e. e See Queen Elizabeths life f See Titus Livius in his Decades g See the History of France h See Caesars Comment in the warre of Affrica k See Du Hailian in his History of France l 1 Chro. 20. 1. * See Caesar in his Commentaries m See thou. Liv. dec 3. lib. 8. n See Philip the Commines o See Plutarch in Marcellus his life p See Titus Livius 3. dec li 8. q See Marcus Crassus life in Plutarch r See Scipio admirato in the ancient Discipline of the Romans s See Plutarch in Caesars life t See Scipio Admirato in the Discipline of the Romans u See Titus Livius in divers places of his 3. Decade * See Montagnes Essayes chap. 15. fol. 38. * See Caesars Commentaries in the Wars of Affrica x See the siege of Amiens in History of France y See the Sweden Souldier 2 Titus Livius Decad. 1. lib. 5. a See the History of France b See the Civill Warres of France c See Des Serres in his Inventory d See Pierre Matthew in Henry the fourths life e See Montlus Commentaries Rondachiers Musquetteers Pikemen f See Bayard Commentaries g See Titus Livius in his 3. decade lib. h See Caesars Commentaries of the War of Affrica i See Plutarch in Fabius life k See Serres in the Inventory of Du Hailian in his History of France l See Des Serres in the Inventory of France m See the Marshall of Montluc his Commentaries n See the French History o See Demetres History p Josh. 8. 12. q Judg. 20. 36. r Tacitus in the warre of Armenia s Tacitus lib. 2. cap. 5. t Tacitus lib 3. cap. 12. u Tacitus lib. 4. cap. 10. x See Guichardin li 3. cap. 17. y See Herodotus in the life of Cyrus z Jer. 8. 10. a See Tit. Liv. dec 3. lib. 12. b See Plutarch in the life of Lucullus c See Titus Livius decade d See Titus Livius decad. 3. and 4. e See the History of France f See Pierre Matthew in Henry the fourths life g See Pierre Matthew in Henry the fourths life h See the Spanish History i See this Cardinals life a See Plutarch in his Morals b See Plutarch in Lycurgus his life c See the English Chron. in the lives of Edward the 3. Henry the 5. d Jer. 9. 1. e Titus Livius dec 3. lib. b. f Titus Livius dec 3. lib 2. g Plut. in Pompeyes life h Marcus Curtius i Plutarch in Caesars life k La Noüe in his Military Discourses I See the Sweden souldier m See Plut in Mar. Antonius his life n See the Turkish History o See the French History p See Hannibal his life q See Plut. in Marius his life r See Plut. in Sertorius his life * See Hannibals life s See Hannibals life t See Des Serres in the reigne of Francis the first u See 〈◊〉 Liv. in his first 〈◊〉 x See Plutarch in Solons life a Tim. 2. 17. b 1 Cor. 9. 24. 2 Cor. 1. 26. c 2 Tim. 4. 10. d 1 Joh. 2. 19. e Rom. 11. 1. 29. f Heb. 12. 1. g Eccles. 9. 11. h Ephes. 6. 18. i Matth. 21. 12. k Phil. 3. 14.
it matters not Why should we then trouble our selves to be diligent and zealous in spirituall duties wise prudent in Civill actions and circumspect valiant expert in Military exploits since the issue of all depends upon the will of God I answer that this secret will and eternall purpose of God is a Mystery to men and that the wisest men upon earth cannot dive into it and therefore that we are to obey his revealed will that is that we should be fervent zealous and diligent in all spirituall duties to make our calling and a election sure and to be wise and prudent in all Civill actions according to that degree he hath beene pleased to indue us withall and make use of the experience valour and courage in warre that we have obtained as a gift from him to conduce all such things we undertake to the advancement of his Glory to the good of his Church and to the peace and prosperitie of our Countrie and doing so and in all our ends aiming at that blank howsoever it pleaseth the Lord to give an issue to our unfained endeavours we have discharged a good Conscience before God and men But if men in this glorious light or Sunne-shine of the Gospel will wilfully neglect the gracious meanes that God is pleased to afford them to procure their Salvation by the merits of Christ with feare and b trembling and fall from the faith and run a whoring after Popish Idolatry or the vaine and erroneous opinions of Sectaries or the licentious and impious courses of the ungodly and profane men of these dayes let them lay the cause of their condemnation upon themselves and not upon the secret will of our most just and gracious God that doth not desire the death of a sinner but rather that he would c returne from his wicked wayes Or if the wise and prudent men of these times should for some private ends omit to advise or counsell such things as in their owne judgement doe conduce to the above blessed end God notwithstanding will doe his worke and they will remaine inexcusable before him But if they advise or counsell sincerely such things as they judge to conduce to that blank abovesaid according to the wisedome and prudence the Lord hath given them howsoever the issue of their Counsell fall out they have discharged a good Conscience before God and men Even so if our Commanders in Chiefe or their subordinate Officers doe embrace all opportunities that are offered to them to end or to conduce this warre to a blessed peace howsoever the issue of it be they will be blamelesse before God and men but if for any private ends they omit any opportunities rules Maximes or Stratagemes of Military exploits to spinne out this Unnaturall Warre whereby they may endanger the State and themselves as oftentimes it comes to passe that omissions in Military exploits hath overthrowne Kingdomes or Common-weales and their Commanders also as it shall be proved by Instances yet shall the issue of this warre turne to Gods Glory and to the good of his Church for God is not tied to secondary meanes but will in his due time notwithstanding their wilfull omissions grant us a blessed peace but they shall be inexcusable before him and loose their honour and reputation with men For opportunities advantages in warre are so many mercies that the Lord doth graciously offer to Commanders Now if these mercies be despised and these advantages omitted wittingly God is an all-seeing God that will find out a time how closely soever it be carryed to reward them according to the intentions of their hearts But because there hath beene many faire opportunities lost within these three yeares that might if they had been imbraced have conduced this Unnaturall Warre to a blessed Period and that they are imputed by them that are ignorant of the events of warre to the neglect and omission of some of our Commanders in Chiefe I will endeavour to prove by Ancient and Moderne Ensamples that when God hath been pleased to humble correct or destroy a Kingdome that the wisest Politicians and the most experienced Commanders that ever were have omitted greater opportunities then they have done 1. In the yeare 432. of the foundation of Rome God being pleased to humble the Romanes and utterly to destroy the Samnites did so blind the Judgements of the Generals of these two Nations that they let slip two faire opportunities first the two Consuls of the Romanes Titus Veturius and d Sempronius Posthumius omitted the opportunitie they had to march with their Army to Luceria a City they intended to besiege by the sea-shore the way being plaine and secure for to take a way thorow the mountaines that led them to a passe called Caudium invironed with steepe Rocks and high mountaines where they were presently inclosed by the Samnites and inforced for want of Provisions to require quarter which they obtained upon these conditions That they should leave six hundred Knights for hostages surrender their Armes Horses Carriages and baggage and passe under the yoke for their over-sight Secondly the Samnites had here a faire opportunity to have concluded a perpetuall peace with the Romanes if they had set at liberty and provided the Romanes with Provisions for their returne as they were counselled by a wise Senator of theirs Herenius father of their Generall But they unadvisedly for a little booty were the Cause of their own destruction for the Romanes were so incensed with this ignominy received that they never ceased untill they had by force of Armes reduced all the Samnites and their Countrey unto Romane Colonies 2. In the second Punick warre The Romanes by the great victories obtained in Sycilia and Sardinia against the Carthaginians being swollen up with pride God was pleased to humble them againe and so sent Hannibal with a great Army into Italy that defeated them in the three famous battels of the River Trebie of the lake Trasymene and of Cannes where they lost above one hundred thousand men yet because God had decreed that Rome should be the fourth and the e greatest Monarchy in the world he was pleased to infatuate the Judgement of f Hannibal the most provident and the most active Generall that ever was to omit the fairest opportunity that his heart could have wished to have obtained for his Common-weale a perpetuall Peace of the Romanes or by advancing immediately after his victory at Cannes to the wals of Rome that was extraordinarily amazed and weakly manned To have over-throwne by the taking of it the whole Romane Common-weale but the Omission of this opportunity was the cause of his owne ruine and of the destruction of his native Countrey 3. The Omission of the opportunity that g Persus the last King of Macedonia had to proclaime warre against the Romanes when Hannibal was in Italy and Scipio in Affrica was the cause he was shortly after deprived of his Kingdome and himselfe inforced