FORTITVDE in our tongue, is deri­ued from the Latine word Fortitudo, which signifieth, if wee take it in the larger sence, all maner of force and strength: but more strictly, it is vsed for that vertue which the Grecians call [...], that is, man­hood, or valiantnes of courage. It is cal­led also of the Latines Magnanimitas, and of the Grecians, [...], that is, greatnes of minde, which names in both tongues are taken from the effect, for it enlargeth the minde, and maketh it great. And that is it which we vse to say of one that is valiant, hee is a man of a great minde. And so the vice also that is contrary to this vertue, namely Cow­ardlines, [Page] in the one tongue is called Pu­sillanimitas, and in the other [...], that is, smalenes, slendernesse, and weakenesse of minde. The Hebrewes haue vsed diuers names for to expresse this one vertue, as Haiil, Coah, Geburah, Hezek, Maamats, and Gnoz. All which are taken from strength and preuailing, and may be vsed in more generall sence then for the vertue.

2 This vertue hath euer caried awaie the greatest and the highest praise a­mong men. There was neuer any which the worlde hath greatly admired, but such as haue much excelled in greatnes of mind, or at the least were thought to excell therein. Among the Romans in old time, this title Magnanimuus, was e­uen as the largest, the richest and most royal robe of honor, which they had to put vpon any man. It was more then to set a crown of gold vpon his head. When the Poet woulde in glorying wise gyue the highest praise to Rome that might be, hee dooth it by extolling the great minds of her Cittizens, as comparable to the heauens, for thus he writeth,

The Grecians called their chiefe vali­ant men, Heroes, euē halfe Gods, so high­ly did they admire and honor thē. Come to the people of God the children of Is­rael, & see what the holy Scriptures doe speake in commendation of the mighty. The mighty men in Hebrewe are called Gibborim, Gibbore haiil, Ansche haiil, Bene haiil, Abbirim, and a man of war is cal­led Isch milhamah. We finde that manie were praised for their worthy actes, be­cause they were Ansche haiil, men of co­rage. If we looke among the Kinges, the Iudges and Captaines of Israel, as Josua, Gedion, Iepthah, Sampson, Dauid, and o­thers. Also diuers worthies in the dayes of king Dauid, 2. Sam. 23. For the Lorde himselfe requireth in all that beare pub­like office, either to iudge, or to teache, or to goe to the warres, that they be valiant in minde. Whē the mighty oppresse the weake, howe shal a Iudge execute true iudgement, vnlesse he be of a valiant co­rage? If the minister of the word throgh [Page] pusillanimity do feare the face of man, how shal he reproue sinne, especially in persons of high estate? Tyrants seek to inuade kingdoms with great force, how shall the man of warre be able to meete them & looke thē in the face, if hee haue not the heart of a Lyon? And what an honor is it to the Worthies which fight the battailes of the Lord against the ene­mies of God, in defence of the truth, the Church, and Common wealth, that the King of glory himselfe, (as it were) com­meth downe to be praised among them, and together with thē? For in his prayse it is written, Iehoua isch milhamah, Exod. 15. Iehoua is a man of warre. And Jeho­ua gilbor milhamah, Psalme. 24. Iehoua mighty in battell. This is the high praise of the mighty.

3 But perhaps some man will say, what iust cause is there, that this vertue should be praised and had in admiration aboue all vertues? Why should it haue the highest or the chiefe honor? I answer that the cause is apparāt, vnto those that beholde and viewe her well, with all the pleasant & sweet fruites that she bring­geth [Page] forth. She maketh great, for she is excellent great, spreading herselfe tho­rough the heigth, the depth, the length, and the bredth of al goodnes: inasmuch as the mind of man, can neuer retaine or practise any good thing without her force and might. Shee is euen as the sin­newes & bones of strength, knitting to­gether and supporting the whole bodie of vertues. Shee lifteth vp the minde of man: for as through weakenesse mans minde is ouer-come, and brought into a base slauery vnto all euill, so by strength it ouercommeth and hath the victorie, & is aduanced vnto freedome and dignitie. Shee is the maine piller that supporteth both Church and Common wealth. In­asmuch as she openeth the mouth of the Iudge to pronounce true sentence of iudgement, without all dreade or respect of persons. Shee remoueth all feare from the messenger of God, and maketh him bolde, faithfully to vtter his full message vnto all degrees of men, both high and lowe. Shee girdeth on the sworde of the mighty warrior, and leadeth him foorth with boldnes to fight the battailes of the [Page] Lorde, to repell the violence of the ene­mie, and to saue the liues of many thou­sands. In respect of these things, her glo­rie is more bright then the cleerest star that shineth in the firmament. Many are the ornaments of Gold, of Pearle, and of other precious things, wherwith the bo­dy is decked, but all of them are by manie degrees inferior to the ornaments wher­with shee decketh and beautifieth the minde of man. Her iewels cannot be va­lued by any price.

4 This noble vertue then is woorth the seeking after, and blessed is hee that findeth the right way to clime vp vnto her. Shee dwelleth on high, and is harde to come vnto, as all godly things are dif­ficil. Her fame indeede causeth many to seeke after her, but few there be that find her, because the most part light into the wrong way, inticed and deceiued by a sturdy vice, which hath stollē her cloke, and would be like vnto her. These runne as swift as the Roe, but looke how much the faster, so much the further off from the pure vertue of which they haue lost the sight. To remedy this mischiefe, and [Page] to direct such as seeke her, the way is to be opened which leadeth to the one, and that leadeth to the other, for so may a man learne to auoyde the wrong, and to chuse the right course. And nowe wee come vnto it. Fortitude is double, hu­mane & diuine, I call that humane for­titude, which the Gentiles, I will not say had (for they had nothing in them pure,) but which by the light of nature they did see and describe, and which they la­boured to attaine vnto by the naturall powers & faculties of the mind, through humane courage. And that is the diuine Fortitude, where the mind through faith in Christ, putteth on the grace & power of God, and thereby dooth become great and valiant. As it is written, Be strong in Lord, and in the power of his might, put on the whole armor of God. Ephes. 6. If wee looke well into eyther of these, wee shall finde in the one, the right way to ascende vp to the Palace of the princely Vertue, and in the other, the race wherein men runne to that vice which doth resemble her. They that seeke to obtaine her as a spirituall gifte from GOD, by fayth in [Page] Christ, through the new birth, by which the minde is renewed & made free, take the right way, they shal posses her, they shall taste of her sweete fruits. But such as endeuour by their owne naturall pow­ers, and faculties of the minde, through humane courage to become valiant, run in the wrong way, and although they at­taine to an exceeding hardinesse, yet is it no vertue, but a resolute or rather a des­perate boldnes, beeing in deede a vice vnder the shewe or resemblance of ver­tue. They runne in the way of the Gen­tiles, and higher then they did, they can­not clime.

5 Marry some will say, I woulde ne­uer wish to clime hier in Fortitude then the Gentiles did, nor to goe in a better way therein then they. There were among them (as all antiquitie dooth re­port) as valiant and braue minded men, as euer liued in the world. And this also we find that neuer any men haue perfor­med greater or more noble acts, thē they did, for which they haue been had in ad­miration and honoured, of all men and shall be to the worlds end.

[Page] To let passe many of auncient time, which were very great: what say you vn­to Phillip of Macedon, and to his sonne Alexander the great? What say you to Scipio and Haniball, Caesar and Pompey? Was there but a shewe of vertue in these men? was all theyr courage and hardinesse but a vice? May wee not ra­ther esteeme them and others of like fame, as woorthy patterns for all War­riors to imitate: let no man couet to bee a more woorthy souldiour then Ju­lius Caesar was.

6 To this I aunswere, that in verie deede it can hardly be shewed, that euer there haue beene more souldiour-like men in the world thē some of those fore­named, if we respect eyther theyr skill to guide an Armie, or their courage and boldnesse of minde, & also their famous acts: but yet it is out of all doubt, that they had not in them the true Fortitude, which is a most pure vertue, but they had some shewe thereof. And so likewise the fame & the glory which they haue euen to the worlds end, is but a vaine glory, & shall vanishe, and at the last lye in the [Page] dust. For proofe of this, wee haue first this vndouted principle, that there is no­thing pure in man by nature, but all wholy depraued and corrupted. As it is written, They are corrupt and become ab­hominable, there is not one that dooth good, no not one. Rom. 3. And our Sauior com­pareth himselfe to the Vine, and Chri­stian men to the branches, and saith, As the branch can beare no fruite of it selfe, except it abide in the Vine, no more can yee except yee abide in mee. Without me yee can doe nothing. Iohn. 15. Then without the new birth of Christ, there is not so much as a pure thought in any man. The mind is held captiue vnto vanitie and sin. How then shall so godly and so pure a vertue bee founde in nature? Moreouer, for a more particuler proofe, that none of the famous men among the Heathen had the true Fortitude, take this, that al the most valiant, and men of fame of the Gentiles, were vnder some one or other of the foure Monarchies, or great king­domes, which in Daniel chap. 7. are com­pared & likened to foure sauage beastes, that is, the Lyon, the Beare, the Leopard, [Page] and a beast very terrible vnlike to the rest. What is heere figured by the beasts, the ciuill power? or the maners of those that ruled? We may not take it that the holy Ghost dooth resemble the ciuill power by these cruel Beastes: for the ci­uill power, euen of the Heathen Kings, is of God. But what then is resembled by those sauage and cruell beastes, but their manners which exercised the pow­er? The pryde, the vaine-glory, the co­uetousnes, the selfe-loue, the ambition, the fierce crueltie, the craft, the subtilty, and the greedy rauening, of the Kinges and stoute warriors, which set vp and maintained those kingdoms, are repre­sented by the nature of those beastes. They gloried of a vertue, that they dyd all for their Countrey, when all theyr va­liant courage did spring and growe from those beastly vices. This is the glorie of their noble acts, this is the praise which the holy Ghost setteth of theyr man­hood, howsoeuer men speake of them.

7 What then, was their great cou­rage a vice? Or was not that hardinesse the gift of God, euen in the Heathen? [Page] This is vndoubtedly, that as God in hys high prouidence, had before ordayned the great Monarchies or kingdoms, so also hee prepared the instruments that should erect and vphold them. He put that skill for the warres, and that heroy­call courage into them. Hee vseth by his almighty power and wisedom, al ma­ner of instruments to execute his will. But nowe wee must vnderstande, that as this courage in it selfe was his gyft, so was it by them corrupted, depraued, and abused, through their pride, vaine glory, couetousnesse, ambition, cruelty, and through other their abhominable lusts. For these foresaid vices, did nourish and support their courage. These did who­lie ouer-spread it, & were mingled with it. For an example, looke vpon Tam­berlaine the Scythian, of later time, who in Anno. 1397 ouerthrewe Baiazethes the mighty Emperour of the Turkes. A more valiant and expert souldiour then this Tamberlaine could not be found, and yet withall, as cruell a Tyrant as euer did breath. Shall we say that he had true fortitude? We must not think it strange [Page] that courage is thus depraued, and tur­ned from vertue to vice. But cōsider the creation and falt both of men & Angels, and thereby wee may learne to decide this matter. The Angels of Apostasie, were created very godly creatures, re­plenished with heauenly wisedome and fortitude. They sinned, and were cast downe from their high estate. They lost not their vnderstanding by theyr fall, but they haue corrupted and depraued it, & turned it from wisedome, into deepe craft and subtilty. For we cannot say the deuils are wise, but they bee exceeding crafty. No more haue they lost theyr might and courage, but they haue who­ly depraued it, and turned it from Forti­tude, into a most obstinate, rebellious, & horrible deuillish boldnesse. They bee stiffe and hardie to warre and to main­taine a kingdome, euen against the most High. Then looke vppon man, hee also receiued goodly gifts and ornaments in his minde. Hee had vnderstanding, he had valiant pure courage. The lyght of his vnderstanding was not vtterly quen­ched by his fall, but corrupted & turned [Page] from wisedome. His courage of minde and hardinesse was not quite destroyed, but defiled, and from noble Fortitude, turned into an obstinate, proud, & cruell stoutnes. Thus farre from vertue vvas the great courage of the Heathen.

8 If the courage of the Gentiles was thus depraued, and turned from vertue into vice: how can Fortitude be rightly diuided into humane and diuine? For­titude is a vertue, not onely in shewe but indeede. And if the courage of the Gen­tiles be not a vertue, wher is our humane Fortitude? Shall we speake [...], and terme it by the name of a vertue, because of some resemblance which it hath thereof. We may no doubt speake so. But I doe not call that humane For­titude which the Gentiles had in action, but that which they did define to bee Fortitude. For it is one thing what they did know, and another thing what they dyd practise. For let vs to make this ap­parant, haue recourse to the generall, & so discende to this particuler which wee are in hand withall. They had the Law of nature, which is this, God made man [Page] in his owne likenes, an excellent crea­ture, full of vnderstanding and puritie. Hee had the whole Lawe euen written in his hart, so that hee needed not to learne any knowledge of God from any other booke. This wriring is not quite blotted out by the fall, but remaineth in some parte, as S. Paule speaking of the Heathen, sayth, that [...], That which may be knowne of GOD, was manifest in thē: for by beholding the frame of the world, his eternall power and God­head are seene. Rom. 1. ver. 19. 20. There is a knowledge also of good and euill remaining in them, as the same Apostle saith, That they did shew [...], the worke of the Law, written in their harts. Rom. 2. ver. 15. Frō hence it came that they vttered so many sayings touch­ing God. And yet (as S. Paule sayth,) they did not glorifie him as God, but with­helde the trueth in vnrighteousnes. Rom. 1. ver. 18. 21. From hence also it came, that they so highly commended vertue, and dispraised vice, and made so many godly Lawes. This light in them is, called the Lawe of nature. By this they did see the [Page] deformitie of vice, and the vncleanesse thereof, but coulde not so much as haue one pure thought to purge their minde from it. By this they did see after a sort, the comlie beautie of vertue, but to deck their harts therwith they had no power, no not so much as to thinke one cleane thought. They coulde describe in some sort, and commende Fortitude, which is one branch of the Lawe of nature: but they did not knowe the way to ascende vp vnto her. So I call that humane For­titude which the Gentiles described, which is a vertue: and not that which they had.

9 If the Fortitude which the Gentiles doe define, be a vertue indeed, & yet dif­fer from the diuine Fortitude, (as other­wise the distribution is friuolous,) then are there tvvo Fortitudes, (may some say,) which seemeth very absurd. Are there two kinds of puritie, or two kindes of vertues? if not, howe two kindes of fortitudes? I aunswer to this that Forti­tude beeing simplie considered in her­selfe, is but one: but in respect of that e­state in which wee are, in respect of the [Page] way whereby we come vnto it, and in re­spect of the meanes by which it is giuen vnto vs; it may wel be called double Let not this seem strange that a thing which is simple in it selfe, may for some respects become as double. For wee knowe there is but one righteousnes, beeing simply considered in it selfe, and yet the holy A­postle sayth, There is the righteousnesse of the Law, & the righteousnes of fayth, and setteth them as opposite the one to the other. The righteousnes of fayth, is the same purity which the law requireth, as the same Apostle teacheth, when hee saith, That by Christ, the righteousnesse of the Lawe is fulfilled in vs. Rom. 8. verse, 4. The Lawe requireth it, if men coulde of themselues fulfill it, (as Adam and Eue did before their fall) it might bee called the righteousnes of the Lawe, but nowe because they cannot, being helde vnder the yoke of sinne, we obtaine it onelie by faith in Christ, Who is made vnto vs of God, wisedome, righteousnes, sanctification, and redemption. 1. Cor. 1. ver. 30. And it is called the righteousnes of God, and the righteousnes of faith. So nowe is it tou­ching [Page] Fortitude, the law requireth it, and if men could by the naturall powers and faculties of the minde attaine vnto it, thē might it bee called humane Fortitude: but because there is no such power in man, and the vertue commeth by a free gift in Christ, we may call it diuine For­titude, and so the deuision of Fortitude into humane and deuine, is necessary to be knowne of all that couet to clime vp vnto her.

10. Thus may we see both the wrong way, and the right. They that would be reckoned among the Woorthies, and la­bour to attaine thereto by theyr owne might, haue nothing to lift vp thēselues withall, but humane lust, because nature hath nothing pure. They mount vp on high with the wings of pride, of vayne-glorie, of ambition, of couetousnesse, and selfe-loue. And there be some, which if they can attaine vnto that desperate bold nesse, as to become resolute not to feare God nor man, (as they say) nor the deuil, they thinke themselues braue men, and such as are to bee esteemed among the chiefe Woorthies. They doe all in the [Page] fierce wrath of man, which worketh no­thing that is pure. On the contrary part, such as take the right way, are cast down in humilitie, in meekenes, in feare, and long suffering; yea, they be euen empti­ed of the opinion of all things in nature, which seeme excellent in man, & wher­by men are vsuallie puffed vp, that they may be filled with gifts and graces from God. They mount vp aloft indeede, yea verie high, but it is not in the strength of man, but by the power and grace of God. As that noble King Dauid glori­eth, That the Lord made him strong & valiant: yea, so valiant, as not to be afraid (as hee saith) what man coulde doe vnto him. Hee told that huge Gyant Goliah, That hee came vnto him in the name of the Lord, and in that name, he cast him downe, and cut off his head. Vnto thys belongeth the saying of the Lord Iesus, Hee that exalteth himselfe, shal be abased, and he that humbleth himselfe shal be ex­alted. How contrarie is it vnto mans wis­dome, or to the sence of flesh & bloode, that the right and onelie way vnto Forti­tude, should be in lowlines of minde, in [Page] meekenes, and in long suffering. He see­meth to be valiant, that is, hautie, stoute, fierce, and full of reuenge: that doth all with sturdie and boisterous roughnesse. But of these things, we shall haue occa­sion to speak more particularly in hand­ling the nature of Fortitude, which now we come vnto.

11. A perfect definition, doth perfect­ly sette forth the whole nature of euerie thing defined: for it consisteth of the es­sentiall causes, but such definitions are hard to be found in the most things, and so to define Fortitude is verie hard, ney­ther will I take it in hand. It shall suffiise to set forth some chiefe properties and effects thereof. And heerein it shall not be amisse, to sette downe some of those thinges which the Gentiles did teach rightly, concerning this vertue. For they had certaine principles vpon which they did builde, which indeede are not to be despised. As first, that the true Forti­tude is neuer voyde of honestie and iu­stice, nor can neuer bee separated from thē. For how can that be a vertue, which is vnhonest, vniust, or impure? Heere­vpon [Page] they did inferre, that the loftinesse of minde which vttereth it selfe in daun­gers and labours, is not a vertue, but a vice, if it be voyde of vprightnes, as not fighting for the common safety, but pri­uate commodities. They accounted it the right definition, which for the essen­tiall forme, hath the final cause, as name­lie▪ that Fortitude is Ʋirtus pugnans pro aequitate, a vertue that fighteth for equi­tie. If any man were hardy and full of stoute courage, to cast himselfe into pe­ril, led thereunto by his lust, and not for the common profit, that was to a wrong end, and they say his courage is rather to be called an audacious boldnes, then for­titude. And they helde him as led by his lust, which would attempt to doe great things to get praise and fame, to gette ri­ches and dominion. After these things indeed doth the hart of man lust throgh selfe-loue, pride, and vaine glory. These are the thinges which they call a mans owne commodities. The higher that a mans minde was lifted vp by these into hardy boldnes, the further they sayd hee was carried from vertue, into immanity [Page] or sauage cruelty, that expelleth all hu­manitie. Heere may we see, that the very Heathen, euen by the light of nature, did acknowledge, that the things which out­wardly doe seeme beautifull, admirable, & glorious, (as the acts of vertuous men) are foule, deformed and detestable: if they do spring from the lust of man. For how can that fruite be sweet (what good colour soeuer it hath) which springeth from a bitter roote? And what is more bitter then pride, ambition, selfe-loue, couetousnes, wrath, and such like?

12. But we must now ascend vp high­er then the Gentiles did, touching the fi­nall cause of the actions of Fortitude. They will haue Magnanimitie to referre all to the common good, & to be ioyned with simplicitie and loue of the trueth, which is well: But this was darke vnto them, that God made all for hys owne glory: that all actions are to be referred to his glory, as to theyr chiefe & proper end: and that all the glory of man, is in glorifying thys great God. Hee that is humble and lowly in his owne eyes, not seeking praise & glory to himselfe, which [Page] is vaine, but delighting in the glorie of God, and to performe great and noble acts whereby that glory may be aduan­ced, shunneth no perrils, nor refuseth no labours, there is the true fortitude, there is the great minde, there is the man that is worthy of all admiration. Hee respec­teth the maintenance of the trueth, and pure worship of God, hee tendereth the Church, hee seeketh the good of the cō ­mon-wealth, in regarde of these hee for­getteth himselfe. Heere are the sweet & pleasant fruites which spring frō a good roote, euen from a sound vertue. Heere­by it is euident, that the finall cause gy­ueth as it were the essentiall forme vnto Fortitude, and maketh her fuites whole­some. No man can clime vp thus high, but through grace, euen through the newe byrth in Christ Iesus: because of it selfe, the minde of man is wholy ouer-spread with vanitie, & lusteth after vaine things, and cannot so much as haue one motion towards a right end.

13. Now are we heereupon to deale a little with those men, which holde thys peruerse opinion, that a man cannot bee [Page] both godly and valiant. They doe per­ceiue plainely, that the pure worde of God requireth humilitie, meeknes, pa­tience, gentlenes, and long suffering, and that without these, no man can be godly. They take these then to bee no warlike properties, nor fitte in any respect for a souldiour. And heereupon they thus speake. Hee that will studie the Worde of God to followe and to practise it, let him be chayned vp in the Church lyke a moopish foole or a milk-sope, for hee shall not be fit to deale in the affayres of the Common-wealth. What Warriour shall hee prooue? And if a man bee as proude as Lucifer, as fell as a Dragon, will sweare horrible othes, and commit whoredomes, and liue in other abhomi­nable vices, as hauing cast off all feare of God, like a deuill incarnate, that is fierce and stoute vnto quarrell and bloody re­uenge, that is hee whom they extol and magnifie aboue the cloudes: he carrieth the braue minde, hee is fit to make a va­liant souldiour. This wicked error (if I may gyue it so soft a phrase) is not wor­thy to haue any aunswere: because they [Page] that hold it, haue euen as Monsters quē ­ched the light of nature, so that the prin­ciples which the Gentiles helde, do con­fute them. For by those sparks of lyght which remaine in nature, the very Hea­then did affirme, that a vertue can neuer be voyde of that which is good, holy & pure: for what is vertue but purity, holi­nes and goodnes? Those Gentiles con­clude thereupon, that no man can bee both vngodly, & endued with fortitude. For howe shoulde the most pure and princely vertue, bee seated in a wicked impure minde? Marke then howe con­trary this is to the speeches of our men, which say that Fortitude and godlinesse cannot bee ioyned together: and that a man cannot bee both godly and valiant. What is thys, as I sayde, but vtterly to quench the light of nature, and to turne vertue into vice and vice into vertue?

14. And where as they call thē braue minded men, which are bold and yet vn­godly, it argueth, that touching the true ornaments of the minde, which deck and make it braue, they haue neither sight nor smelling. If a man be clothed in base, [Page] rotten, ragged, and vnseemely apparell, no man will say, There goeth a gallant fellow in goodly attire, vnlesse he speake ironice. If besides the basenes of his clo­thing, they be also defiled and stincke lothsomly, wil any delight to stande nigh him to take the smell? The basest rotten rags that can be founde are not so great a deformity to the body, nor the most loth some defiled clothes stincke so fouly, as the lusts of the flesh, euen pride, ambiti­on, couetousnes, wrath, blasphemous swearing, whoredome, and such like. And yet they take that to be a braue mind, that is (as I may speake) euen clothed with these. They take these to be sweet Iew­els & comly ornamēts, that deck & beu­tifie, otherwise, howe could they say that there is a braue minde, when it is defiled with them? This is the sence which they haue in spirituall things. That is a beau­tiful, comly, & braue mind indeed, which is decked with heauenly graces and ver­tues. There dwelleth Fortitude, that is a great minde.

15. Some will reply, that the minde which will not bee brought vnder, but [Page] will preuaile, is & may be called a braue minde, euen for the courage and valure that is in it, although there be no godli­nes in it. I demaunde then if base slauerie may be accounted brauery? Take a man that hath as much strength of bodie as three men, and admit that hee be a ser­uile drudge, and his strength imploied in the basest works that may be, as in emp­tying houses of office, or making cleane stincking channels: wil any account him to be in freedome and brauery? In lyke maner where the mind is not set free frō the yoke of vanitie and corruption, but the sturdines therof, be it neuer so great, is imployed in seruice of humane lustes, there is no baser bondage and drudgery. It cannot rightly be sayde that such a minde is in freedome, and will not bee brought vnder, for it is a base drudge vn­to those foule stincking vices, and her whole courage is employed in their ser­uice. The Heathen could say, that hee is the basest seruaunt of all other, that is in bondage to his lusts. And Salamon saith, J saw seruants ride vpon horses, and Princes walking on the ground like seruants. Eccle. [Page] 10. ver. 7. He calleth thē seruaunts which haue princely pompe in the world, & yet are in bondage to their owne vncleane lusts. And those hee termeth Princes, which haue fortitude and freedome of minde, to subdue & to raigne ouer theyr inordinate affections and euill desires, al­though for outwàrd estate in the worlde they be but meane, or of low degree.

16. It will be sayd further, Where can it be shewed, that such humble & meeke men, and so greatly mortified, haue pro­ued valiant Warriors? Where be the no­ble acts which they haue doone? If men were well acquainted with the holy Hi­stories of the Bible, this question should not neede. Abraham the father of the faythfull was very valiant, when with a small cōpany he pursued the great Ar­mie of the Kings, and made slaughter of them to deliuer Lot his brothers sonne, whō they had led away among the cap­tiues. Gene. 14. Iosua a right godly man, the great Captaine ouer the chyldren of Israell, fought great battailes against ma­nie Kings, and destroyed those mightie Nations, to place the Trybes there.

[Page] There were many valiant Iudges, ho­ly men in Israell, which deliuered them out of the handes of cruell and mightie Tyrants. King Dauid was a man after Gods owne hart, and yet the most vali­ant one of them for the warres that euer liued. Who can set forth his noble acts? But what shoulde I stand to reckon vp particulers, reade one place of the holie Scriptures for all. For thus it is written, What doe I yet speake? The time will not serue me to tell of Gedeon, of Barac▪ of Sam­son, and of Iephtha, of Dauid and of Samu­ell, and of the Prophets. Which by faith sub­dued kingdoms, wrought righteousnes, ob­tained the promisses, shut vp the mouthes of Lyons, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, of weake were made strong: they became valiant in battell, tur­ned to flight the Armies of the Aliants. Hebr. 11. ver. 32. 33. 34.

17. Well, what then? let it bee a man hath no godlines at all in him, but yet is as ventrous, and dooth as great exploits, and as much annoyeth the enemie in de­fence of his Prince and Countrey as the godliest, is he not to haue the praise, and [Page] may hee not in that respect bee held as a braue minded man? it is the good which commeth by mens valiant acts, which is to bee regarded, and hee dooth as much good to the benefite of his Countrey, as an other. I doe not denie, but that at sometimes it pleaseth God by the means of wicked instruments to worke some good to his people: but wee must not take this as a thing generall. For looke well into the matter, and wee shall con­fesse it to be otherwise. Whēce are wars, and bloody slaughters among the peo­ple? and what are they tokens of? it is well knowne (the holy Scripture expres­ly affirming so much) that they bee eui­dent tokens of Cods displeasure. And he threatneth to sende them as a greeuous plague, to bee reuenged vppon horrible sinners. Then heere ariseth a great diffe­rence, the godly great minded man, ouer­throweth the enemies of God, with a blessing of peace which followeth vpon his victories, as the historie of the Iudges of Israell doth plentifully shew with the examples of diuers godly Kings. Wick­ed men also sometimes get victories, yet [Page] not to finish wars but to increase and to continue them. For as they that poure on oyle, and cast on dry straw vpon a fire doe not quench the flame, ministring matter for it to burne vpon more raging­ly: so sinnes being the cause of wars and inflaming the wrath of God, the vngodly Warriors doe euen increase & continue them, and make them more raging. For where the chiefe Captaines in warre be irreligious, giuen to drunkennes, whore­domes, and horrible swearing, it is won­derfull to behold the foule enormities, & monstrous abhominations which the cō ­mon souldiours commit. An Armie of them but of one monthes continuaunce, seemeth sufficient to pull downe the wrath of God vpon a home kingdome. The most High is the Protector both of the King and of the whole kingdom, and through his fauour & blessing, they stande and florish. And as the King and the kingdom, are not beholding to those men which liue in vngodly waies, al­though they seeme to doe great seruice to the Cōmon-wealth, inasmuch as they bee of those that prouoke the wrath of [Page] God, and therby put the state euen both of King and kingdom in hazard: so are they not the safer, but in more daunger, through those hardy Warriors which sinne so grieuously. Let no man therfore erre so grosly, as to thinke that the deeds of hardy men which be vngodly, are as good and beneficiall to theyr Prince and Countrey, as the noble acts of fortitude. And thus may any man bee brought to see, (that will not wilfully shutte vp hys eyes) that they be neither braue minded men, nor yet good to their Prince and Countrey. Thus much touching thys poynt, that Fortitude and godlines can­not be seperated, and that only the right godly man is braue minded, and profita­ble to his Country, Prince and common wealth, seeing vngodly Warriors doe hurt and hazard all.

18. We come now to set forth in what the great and valiant minde doth chiefly vtter it selfe. Which as the Gentiles doe affirme are two. The one is in the dispi­sing of all externall things: the other in doing great acts, which are most profita­table, but hard euē aboue measure, being [Page] ful of painful labors, and extreame perils, both of life and of things appertaining vnto life. In the former of these is the cause that maketh great men, in the o­ther the effect, by which their excellency breaketh forth. For he that is so prepa­red in minde to set light by all externall things, is fit to indure any trauaile, and to passe through all perils and dangers, to do noble and fomous acts. It shall not be amisse to consider what reasons & prin­ciples led the Heathen vnto the former of these two. For the former once obtai­ned, the latter doth followe. They held that wee ought to couet and to admire nothing but that which is woorthye of man. And moreouer, that nothing is woorthye of man but vertue. Also they taught that a man is to account nothing as his own, but the treasures of the mind. And that the minde is to be great, rich & beautifull, onely with her propper orna­ments. So she retaine them, the losse of all other things is nothing. Furthermore, they contended for such a loftie state & freedome of minde, as that it should not yeeld to lye vnder, as subdued, neither to [Page] man, nor (as they spake) to Fortune, nor to any lust or perturbation, & so in bon­dage, is not great. They aimed also at such a pleasant, sweete, and delectable calmnes, wherin the mind should solace herselfe, beeing fully contented with the beautie and honor of those ornaments, & ritch Iewels which are within her, as that neither feare, griefe, pleasure, nor wrath, might disturbe the same. For thus they reasoned. If the cōtentation of the mind, & delight in her happy treasures, might not be disturbed, nor hindered by feare or griefe, much lesse by lustes and plea­sures of the flesh. For a man cannot de­light both in vncleane pleasures and in vertues.

19. Higher then thus the Gentiles could not looke, because their darknesse was thick and deepe, and theyr light but euen as a small candle: yea rather as lit­tle sparks, or as a glimmering. But wee haue the broade sunne-shine, and cleere light from heauen, by which we may see farre higher matter to lead vs to the con­ [...]empt of all externall things, and so to haue mindes prepared and setled for the [Page] great acts of Fortitude? Wee finde that we are vtterlie emptie and voyde in our selues of all good things. Our mindes are not onely robbed and spoiled of al good­lie Iewels & ornaments, but also are ful of foule deformities, and miserable bon­dage. There is no glorying in our selues, we are not to stand vpon our owne bra­uerie, wee are cast downe. But heere is the ground-worke of all Fortitude. The most high God is the fountaine of all good things. Hee offereth himselfe vnto vs in his Sonne, to redeeme vs out of our bondage, to make vs his sonnes, and to become our inheritance. The mind that through fayth embraceth these promi­ses, & possesseth him, possesseth all hea­uenly treasures, ritches, beauty, honour, glory, freedom, life & ioy: with al good­lie ornaments to decke herselfe. From hence ariseth greatnes, from hence sprin­geth valure, whilst in regarde and com­parison of these heauenly and spirituall things which we haue in God, all exter­nall and transitory things heere belowe, are but base, beggerly, and vile, yea more then drosse. For what is comparble to [Page] the God of glory, or what is equall to the happy life or ioy in him? Vpon thys therefore we are to stand a little, and to make more particuler discourse, that it may appeare by what steps wee are to ascend vp vnto this vertue.

20 Externall things which are to bee despised of the noble valiant minde are many, yea so many as all things vnder the sunne: but wee may bring them into cer­taine heades, as to say things prosperous, or aduerse, pleasant or vnpleasant, good or euill. For some of the Philosophers vsed to deuide good into three kindes, as the goods of the minde, the goods of the bodye, and the goods of Fortune. The first are vertues, they bee the treasures of the minde. The seconde, are health, strength, comlines, and such like as I may say the riches of the body. The third are riches, honors, fame, dignities, freendes and all of that sort, these bee the goods (as they called them) of Fortune. Then must there needs bee three sorts of euils answerable vnto these, as vices agaynst vertues, sicknesse, feeblenes, and deformi­mitie against the good things of the bo­die, [Page] pouerty, dishonor, contempt, infamy, reproch and enmity: Opposite to those goods of Fortune. Moreouer, if they come not some waye included in these former, yet there come to be added, car­nall pleasures, delightes, sorrowes, feare, greefe & torments, which seeme to touch both minde and bodie. Now except ver­tues, (for they bee no earthly things but giftes from heauen) fortitude lifteth vp the minde to set light by all these. As let vs consider them now a little apart.

21 I will beginne with the third sort of goods. Ritches, honors, fame & friendes be gifts of God, and such a man recei­ueth much commodity by, not only for this present life, but also if he be a right godly man, to the furtherance of his sal­uation, and increase of his glory in the worlde to come: inasmuch as they bee meanes to enable him to doe many great good works, and highly to aduance the glory of God. But now, when the godly minde respecteth the heauenly treasures of righteousnes, of life and ioy, with the freedome, glory and honor of the sonnes of GOD, and that these things last for [Page] euer: in comparison of the same, she ac­counteth all the highest & greatest trea­sures and glorie vnder the sunne, to bee but as drosse and vanitie. Others haue them in admiration, because they ney­ther feele not see any greater, but thys great free minde, which possesseth that vnspeakeable glorie and riches, despiseth them as things transitory. If shee haue them, shee is not puffed vp in glory in them, being but her meanest possession. If they be pulled from her, and in steede of them there be pouertie, dishonor, in­famie, and reproch: yet shee is not cast downe from her estate, nor broken, nor dismaied, seeing shee hath lost but as it were the drosse, and holdeth still her crowne of pure golde which none can take from her. For nothing can separate her from God. Pouerty afflictions, and tormēts be greeuous, but she seeth they are momentarie, and not worthy of the glory which shall be reuealed. Health, strength, and comlines, be good things, but nothing to the health, the strength and beauty which shee hath in GOD. Pleasures and delights of the fleshe, are [Page] sweet and delectable to the natural man, yea sinfull and foule pleasures to those which know not God: but shee feeling the ioyes of God, they be all but as swill and draugh. Shee will not make so bad an exchange, as to sell those true lasting ioyes, for these vanishing delights. Thus then may we see, how fortitude aduaun­ceth the minde vnto such freedom, dig­nitie and greatnes, as that her head is lif­ted vp aboue all thinges in the worlde. Feare, sorrowes, ioyes & pleasures come all vnder her feete.

22 It will be obiected, that neuer any haue attained vnto such strength, so to be mortified in the worlde, as so to de­spise all. True it is, that the knowledge of God is not perfect in any, the fayth is not perfect, and so the contempt of all externall things, by which Fortitude vt­treth herselfe must needes be vnperfect. For according to the measure of the one is the other. If there could be in any the fulnes of Faith, there should be also the perfection of Fortitude. Heereupon it followeth, that as al faithful men are en­dued with this vertue, so some are wea­ker [Page] therein, and some stronger. Increase in liuely faith & assurance of Gods loue, increase in contempt & despising all the high things of this worlde, & so increase in fortitude. Againe, we must know, that the perfection of Fortitude, is not in a­bolishing all humane affections of griefe, of feare, and such like, which is stoicall: but in ruling ouer them, and ordering them aright. See how contrary the true diuine fortitude is vnto the humane fu­rie which is in men. For as that dooth grow from the despising of all outwarde things, so this is sette on worke through the loue of them. For what causeth ma­ny to rush into all dangers, but the hope of getting thereby riches, honors, fame and dignitie to liue in earthly pleasures? Woulde they aduenture their lyues so boldly, if they should not bee honoured & praysed of men for the same? Would they take such paines, were it not to get som worldly benefit? Are they led with the loue of Gods trueth and glorie, or care of the common profite?

23. Well, to proceed a little further we haue examples of many woorthy men, [Page] which haue in high measure despised the riches, the glory, and the pleasures of this worlde, and so were right valiant, and perfourmed exceeding great and noble acts. It shall suffice to speake only of two. Moses & Paul. Moses was borne in the time of affliction, when the Kinge of Egipt had commaunded that all the male children of the Isralites should bee drowned. The daughter of Pharao found him, and adopted him to bee her sonne. He was brought vp in the Court like a Kings sonne in all honour and de­lights. The riches & glory of Egipt were before him. To bee the deliuerer of his brethren, being raised vp thereto of God, and that he might bee fit to doe mightie acts, his mind became great by despising all worldly wealth, pleasures and glorie. For thus it is reported of him. By Faith Moses when he was great, refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter: chu­sing rather to suffer aduersitie with the peo­ple of God, then to inioy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt: for hee had respect vnto the recompence of the [Page] reward. By faith he forsooke Egipt not fea­ring the fiercenes of the king, for he endured, as if hee had seene him which is inuisible. Heb. 11. ver. 24. 25. 26. 27. Then may wee beholde, howe with mighty courage of minde, hee set light by all thinges in the world, which others do admire. And so became a mighty man to worke great workes both for the deliuerance of that people, and also in conducting & gouer­ning of them. Hee is one of the greatest through fortitude that euer liued.

24 Then touching blessed Paul, what inuincible courage did he ascend vp vn­to? What famous and right noble acts did hee abounde in? And let vs see then, how became hee fit for so great matters, to passe through all labours and perrils, but that his minde was also lifted vp and made free, great and mighty, euen to de­spise all transitorie things, howsoeuer with glittering shew they shine in glory, to the outward eye, and be had in admi­ration among worldly men. Reade that which is written of him, and see how he sayth, That the worlde was crucified vnto him, and hee vnto the worlde. The most [Page] High was his inheritance, hee feared not death nor any danger, but passed throgh all hard things to doe him seruice, to ad­uaunce his glory, and to bring men out of destruction vnto life. To reckon all, would be to tedious, it shall bee enough to looke vpon one testimony which hee is forced to giue of himself, the false Apo­stles seeking to discredite his ministrie. They are Hebrewes (saith hee) so am I, they are Israelites, so am J, They are the seede of Abraham, so am I, They are the Ministers of Christ, (I speake like a foole) I am more. In labours more aboundantlie, in stripes aboue measure, in prison more plen­teously, in deathes often. Of the Iewes recei­ued I fiue times forty stripes saue one. Thrise was I beate with rods, once stoned, thrise I suffered shipwracke, night and day haue J beene in the deepe. In iournying often, in pe­rils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perrils of mine owne nation, in perrils among the Heathen, in perrils in the Citty, in perrils in the wildernesse, in perrils in the sea, in perils among false bretheren. In labour & trauaile, in watching often, in hunger & thirst, in fa­stings often, in cold and nakednes. 2. Cor. 11. [Page] The Martyrs in all ages, not onely men, but women also, haue shewed forth and deliuered their inuincible fortitude, by despising all the tortures and torments which bloody Tyrants coulde put them vnto, whose strength was from hence, that they looked for a better life thē that which they layd downe.

25. Nowe wee see from what roote this noble vertue springeth, it remaineth that we shewe wherein her greatest vic­tories & conquests do consist, or which be the strongest enemies that shee van­quisheth: for thereby also it shall more euidently appeare, who they bee which are to be reckoned among great men, who be the Worthies, & who are braue minded indeed. It is a most sure princi­ple, that Fortitude vanquisheth all ad­uersaries. Then hee that ouercommeth the weaker, and is himselfe subdued by the stronger, is hee the man, hath he the great mind? Is there the praise and glo­ry of Fortitude? Then seeing it is so, that Fortitude can not be vanquished by any aduersity whatsoeuer, but ouercommeth all, he onely hath the valiant minde, hee [Page] onely is the great man, which conque­reth not onely the lesser and weaker, but also the greater and the stronger. Then it may be said, which be the weaker, and which be those stronger? I answere that men are the weaker. Men are but fleshe and blood, and take the strongest & the most mighty that euer liued, they are but weake in comparison of the deuils, which are called principalities and pow­ers, and Rulers of the darknesse of this world. Also, what is an arme of flesh & bones, vnto that which is called the world, and to the things in the worlde, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 1. Iohn. 2. ver. 16. So then he that conquereth men, & is con­quered of the deuill, and of his owne lusts & pleasures, is he great, is he strōg? is hee free? is he the noble minded man? Howe absurd a thing is it to thinke so? If he can vanquish as many as Alexander and Caesar of the weaker, which are men like himselfe, and as they were, be led a­way captiue of the mightier, what is hee the better? Hee then is strong & migh­tie, which dooth ouer-come not onelie [Page] men, but deuils & wicked lusts. All thys S. Paule setteth forth. Ephe. 6.

26 The deuill our great enemie, wor­keth in the corrupt lustes which are in mans hart. Hee taketh hold by pryde, by vaine glory, by ambition, by selfe-loue, by couetousnesse, by wrath, and by vn­cleane lustes and pleasures, to subdue & lead captiue the minde vnto eternall sla­uery. Whereupon it followeth, those vi­ces being euen as the cordes and chaines by which hee leadeth his captiues, that he which will be strong indeed through the conquering fortitude, must beginne with himselfe, euen as a mighty Prince subduing his own affections. This is it which the holy Ghost hath vttered by Saloman: He which is slow to wrath is bet­ter then the mighty, and hee that ruleth o­uer his owne spirite, is better then hee that winneth a Cittie, Pro. 16. ver. 32. The very Heathen were not ignorant of this: for they affirme that hee cannot be great, which is in bondage to his lustes. And thus writeth one of their Poets.

[Page] That is, stronger is hee that ouercom­meth himselfe then hee that winneth the strongest defenced Citties and Holdes, neither can vertue claime any higher. Then is it apparant euen by the light of nature, that the strongest holds, and the highest walles for this noble fortitude to scale and win, are in a mans own minde. There be the Forts and munitions, there be the high things which exalt them­selues against GOD, as Paul teacheth, 2. Cor. 10. Heere is the labour, thys is the worke, heere is the great glory of Forti­tude.

27 I might heere stay from speaking any further of thys vanquishing of the deuill & mans own lusts, but that there is an inueterate error in many men tou­ching man-hoode, as if it did consist in priuate reuenge. If a man haue an iuiu­rie offered him, or be challenged with some reprochfull terme, as to bee called cowarde or boy, and will not aduenture although it shoulde be eyther to kyll or to be killed, they thinke hee is vtterlie dishonoured, and the glory of his man-hoode is stayned for euer. Some protest [Page] this as glorying in man-hoode, that if such reproche shoulde be offered them, they will be reuenged, and kill or be kil­led, chusing rather to die with honour, then to liue with dishonour, and attain­ture of man-hood.

To aunswere these, wee are sure that Fortitude or the right man-hoode is a vertue, and a most commendable vertue, ioyned with wisedome, which bringeth foorth sweete and pleasant fruites, and such as doe highly honour GOD, and are very good and profitable to men. We are also as sure on the contrary part, that thys kinde of man-hoode, (if I may so call it) which vttereth it selfe in pri­uate quarrell, and bloody reuenge, sprin­geth from the lusts of man, as frō wrath, vaine-glory, and disdainefull pride. The deuill hath a great stroke in it, who wor­keth by those lusts, as it is written, Bee angry but sinne not, let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath, neither giue place to the deuill. Ephes. 4. There is follie com­mitted in high degree, For anger (as Sa­lamon sayth) resteth in the bosom of fooles. Ecclesiastes, 7, verse. 11. It is so farre from [Page] honouring God, that it taketh his office, for thus hee sayth, Auenge not your selues, but giue place to wrath, for vengeance is mine, sayth the Lorde, and J will repay it. It plucketh the sworde out of the hande of the Prince, who is the minister of GOD to take vengeaunce vppon the euill dooers. Rom. 3. The fruites which it bringeth foorth, are quarrelling, ray­ling, horrible swearing, and cruell mur­thers. This is the glory of their man-hoode. Such therefore as by the migh­tie power and grace of GOD, haue so farre subdued theyr corrupt lustes, as that they be meeke, lowlie and long suf­fering, and will rather suffer iniurie and beare reproche, then disobey the trueth, haue attained vnto great Fortitude, and may euē be wondred at. But such as wyll shew theyr courage in priuate quarrels, deserue not to be called valiant or braue men, but quarrellers, hackers, and mur­therers.

28. Some man will smile at this, and say they make conscience a cloake to co­uer their cowardlines. When they haue [Page] no manhood in them, they would fight if they durst and not beare the reproch, but because they dare not, they pretend hu­militie, patience, and long suffering. How shall it be known what is in a man if he will not fight? For an answere vnto this, I say if a man be with-held from re­uenging himselfe through cowardlines of hart, it is no vertue: but if hee bee one that will not in a right quarrell feare anie man, then doth he not make cōscience a cloak of cowardlines. And touching the vttring his valure: hath fortitude no way to manifest herselfe, but by quarreling? Nay, hee that in the publicke cause, for the defence of truth, of Prince and state, sheweth himselfe as a mightie Lion a­gainst the enemies of God, and in peace, or touching priuat quarrell, is lowly, gen­tle, curteous, and meeke as a Lambe, hee is the great man indeed, he sheweth him­selfe valiant euery way, he is to be hono­red, loued and admired of all men. His fruites are delectable. As for the other, those fierce quarrellers, they be very dan­gerous, and vnprofitable. They are not [Page] to be commended but disalowed and dis­praised, as those that would turne ver­tue into vice, and vice into vertue.

29 And as there is great difference between him that is valiant through ver­tue, and that man which is hard and bold in the pride and lusts of corrupt flesh: so is there great difference also of their ho­nor and reward for their acts. The hardy mā according to the flesh seeketh praise among men; and hath it. But what is it? Euen a puffe, a blast that vanisheth with the breath of mens mouthes. He seeketh riches, and findeth them. But riches shal not deliuer in the day of vengance. Hee seeketh pleasures of the flesh, and swim­meth in them: hee taketh delight and so­lace in fulfilling the sinfull lustes of his flesh: but these pleasures of sin last but for a season, and endlesse sorrowes doe cease vpon them. Their glory shall bee turned into shame. If it were but for a thousand yeres, yea for a thousand thou­sand, that then they might haue ease of their miserie, it were some comfort: but whē infinite thousand thousands of yeres [Page] are passed ouer them in their woes, they are neuer the neerer to an ende, neither can they say there is the lesse torment behinde, because that which is infinite, cannot bee diminished. The sands of the sea be innumerable, and if at euery thou­sand yerees ende a birde should picke vp only one crumme and cary away, she shal take all away, before their sorrowes end. what vain things then are such men here deluded withall? The godly valiant man, seeketh the praise and glory of God. And he that honoreth me (saith the Lord) I will honor him. 1. Sam. 2. ver. 30. His glory is great with God, and shall stand for euer. He coueteth the riches and ioyes of hea­uen, and he shall possesse them for euer, euen world without end. His state shall neuer faile.

30 Therefore ô ye men of courage & hardy boldnes, seeke to haue your cou­rage sanctified and applied to the right vse. Let it not be lifted vp with the wings of humane lusts, to seeke after vanitie, but bee strong in the Lorde, not onely to vanquish men which are weake, but to [Page] subdue the deuils and corrupte affecti­ons, that your great minde may with hy­roicall courage lifte vp her heade aboue all enemies, and inioy that blessed freedome, and dignitie, that yee may bee great princes for euer. For all conquerers shall be crowned with glorie and immor­talitie.