IN this Warlike Assembly, I shall not take upon me to Read a Lecture con­cerning the Military Art, or to say any thing of the Discipline of War, be­fore [Page 2] those that understand it far better, than either opportunity has given me leave, or my Profession requires: This absurdity, an Antient Graecian Orator was once guilty of before a great General, which was censured by a very Judicious Author, as an improper and an assuming Action. I shall content my self therefore to act within my own Sphere, and accordingly will endeavour, from the Holy Scriptures in general, but more particularly from these words of our Blessed Saviour, to prove the lawfulness of the taking up of Arms by Christian Men, at some times, and upon some occasions.

This is the main scope and drift of my present undertaking; To shew, From Christ's Command to his Disciples here in the Text, of selling their Cloaths to purchase Swords; That the Accoutrements of War are, in some cases, to be provided before bodily Raiment; that Arms may not alwaies yield to the peaceful Gown; but that at some seasons of imminent danger, of home-bred Insurrecti­ons, or a prospect of Invasion, or Enmity openly declared; that then War and the In­struments of it are to be sought; then the [Page 3] Bow and the Quiver is to be made ready; then we must go, tho' like some of the Ancient Spartans, half-naked into Battel.

But before I enter upon the Proof of this, I will clear one Objection, which may with some colour be laid before me at the very threshold, from the Opinion of some very Learned and Able Expositors.

Dr. Hammond, Grotius, and some others, say, that these Words of our Blessed Savi­our are not to be taken Literally, but Figu­ratively.

Our Blessed Lord and Master, was now near the time of his departure out of the World; The Captain of our Salvation, was now about laying down the great Commission he had received from his Father; and now when he was taking leave of his Disciples, those Fellow-Souldiers of his, those who had hitherto fought the same good fight with himself, against all the Powers of the World, or the Devil, those who under his care and conduct had served securely, and were protected safely, to whom he had for­merly upon their several great and hazardous [Page 4] Expeditions, given Orders, to Provide neither Mat. 10. 9. gold, nor silver, nor brass in their purses, nor scrip for their journey, neither two coats, neither shooes, nor yet staves; yet to them now he speaks otherwise, he foresees, that now short­ly far more calamitous and perillous times would come, the conflicts they were to meet with both Corporal and Spiritual would be great, the dangers they were to encounter inevitable; he therefore Arms them now with an extraordinary Courage, and advises them to lay in good Provisions: The Bride­groom himself would be absent, and they must not expect any Personal Assistance or Subsistence from him; so that it would not now be sufficient to shake off the dust of Mat. 10. 14. their feet against a House or a City, that would not receive and entertain them kindly, but they must supply themselves with all Ne­cessaries requisite, both for the Maintenance and Defence of their Persons; they must not only fill their Purses and their Scrips▪ but they must provide themselves too of Weapons, nay, they who had no Swords, were obliged to sell even their very Garments and buy them.

By all this, say these Learned Persons, is nothing more meant by our Saviour, than that his Disciples should Arm their Minds, against all the Spiritual Oppositions, and against all the Temporal Hardships they might meet with in the World.

This perhaps might have been the Figu­rative meaning of our Saviour, That now he was going from the Head of his Disciples, They should put on a greater firmness and resolution of Mind, Arm their Spirits with an undaunted Courage and readiness to grapple with the severest Trials, and to sur­mount all difficulties; and the Sword here in my Text, might possibly be used in the same Sense by our Saviour, that St. Paul uses the Sword of the Spirit, the Shield Ephes. 6. of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, or any of the other parts of Armory, he there furnishes out his Christian Warrior with. However, admitting this Metaphorical acceptation of the Words, I see no absurdity or false Do­ctrine, in taking the Text in the more ob­vious and literal signification: St. Augustine, I am sure, a Father of no mean Authority, takes this very Text of Scripture, in the [Page 6] plain and verbal importance, and makes use of it for an Argument against the Ma­nichees, a whimsical Sect of People, who decried all manner of use of Secular Arms, as unjustifiable amongst Christian Men. And it may be presumed, St. Peter that great A­postle, understood our Saviour according to the Letter too; for presently after the words were spoke, when he saw his Master fall into the violent hands of the High-Priest's Servants, he drew his Sword, and with it, gave a plain demonstration in what Sense he took the words. Nay, this was not only St. Peter's apprehension of these Words, but 'tis to be supposed, of all the Apostles likewise, for we find in the following Verse their joint Answer: He that has no Sword, let him sell his Garment and buy one, says our Saviour, And they said, Lord, behold here are two Swords, And he said unto them it is enough. How­ever, thus much certainly may very natu­rally and very agreeably too to the Do­ctrine of Christ, be inferr'd from this Text, That tho' Spiritual Arms are the Christi­ans commendable Weapons, in the Times of Persecutions and Oppressions; and a for­tified [Page 7] Mind is then always required; yet even the outward Corporal Means of just Defence or Offence, are allowed Christians as well as other Men.

This is a Position, that the strictest of our Saviour Christ's Precepts, does not con­tradict or disprove, for altho Patience in Persecutions, long-suffering of Injuries, love of very Enemies, are recommended to us as the most sublime Christian Vertues; altho by such Commands as this, Unto him that smiteth thee on the one Cheek, turn the other; we are admonish'd to pass by all trivial and accidental Injuries in common Conversati­on; altho the first Methods of the propaga­tion of the Gospel, were gentle and peaceable, and the same Methods ought still to be practis'd in the Conservation of it: Yet did I never meet with any so very Spiri­tualized a Casuist, that carried on the Do­ctrine of self-resignation so high, but that it was always allowed, That when private Mens Lives are in danger; and much more, when the Publick Life of the State is in jeopardy; and most of all, when Christiani­ty it self is in hazard of being subverted or [Page 8] corrupted, that then the free use of all Means of both Personal and Publick Security, were never Prohibited by our Saviour.

This slender Objection being thus removed, I shall not scruple to take the Text in a Grammatical and Literal Sense, and from it so considered,

I. First, I shall lay down this for a Positive and Uncontestable Assertion; That notwith­standing all the Doctrines of Humility, Pati­ence, Submission, Forgiving of Injuries, Forbearance of Revenge, which the Gospel of Christ, and the Writings of the Apostles so much press upon us, and which are the Spi­ritual Weapons of our Warfare here in this World; yet still the Armour of the Body, and the just use of material Weapons, is, and in all Ages of the World before and since Christianity, was Lawful; nay, at some times, and in some conditions of Affairs, War is necessary, and more the Duty of a Chri­stian People, than a slothful Peace.

II. Secondly, I will enquire at what Opportu­nities and Seasons Arms may be taken up.

[Page 9] III. Thirdly, I will make it appear, that our present War is to be justified by all the Rea­sons and Arguments that can be required for the carrying on of any.

I. First, I am to prove the warrantableness of War amongst Christian People; and one would think, I needed not to spend much time in making good that universal and avow­ed Opinion; That all defensive and offensive Means of Safety, which amongst all Men are allowable, are equally so to Christians, as to any other part of Mankind.

That War was both practised in the most ancient Seasons of the World, and not only countenanced, but directed and in a manner proclaimed too by God himself, is a thing plain­ly to be seen in many Places of the Old Te­stament; Moses was commanded to raise For­ces and to form an Army by God's own special Order; Abraham commenced a War for the rescue of his Brother Lot; and many other In­stances might be produc'd out of the Old Testament; but let us look into the New, the Precepts of which are far more obligatory [Page 10] to us Christians, and there we shall find the Equity of Arms as much establish'd amongst the Christians, as they were made use of amongst the Israelites. For what did our Sa­viour intend by these Words, If my Kingdom were of this World, then would my Servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; what, I say, could our Saviour here mean, but that the taking up of Arms, at some Exigences of time, was a thing not only practicable, but warrantable? If my Kingdom were of this World, that is, if I did really pretend to erect any temporal and material Kingdom in this World, any more than a spiritual Soveraignty over Souls; then, as it is Customary with all earthly Princes in such Cases, rather than be thus used by these Jews, would I raise an Ar­my to defend my Person, and to revenge the Injuries I have unjustly received at their Hands; then would I and my Army fight, as it is the manner of all worldly Princes to do, whenever their Dominions and Prerogatives are wrongfully invaded, or their Persons ig­nominiously treated. This seems to me to be the Meaning and Purport of that Text.

But may not this Countenancing of War seem a most preposterous and surprizing Do­ctrine for the Prince of Peace to deliver? How is this consistent with his own Life and Conversation, which was nothing else but one continued Act of Suffering? How comes He that endured all the Barbarous Usage, Buf­fetings, Spittings upon, Scourgings, that was led like a Sheep to the Slaughter, and like a Lamb that is Dummb? How comes He now to open his Mouth so angrily, and to breath forth nothing but War and Battel? How is it, that He, who at another time sends out his Apostles without any Equipage or the least Furniture, only with this poor Commission, Go and teach all Nations, and lo I am with you, how is it that now he recommends to them the Instruments of War, and makes Swords such useful, such indispensible Companions of their Travels, that, rather than want them, he bids them Pawn and sell their very Cloaths to buy them? Nay, how comes our Saviour, here in my Text, to prefer Swords before Garments, which was just before he was be­tray'd into the Hands of his Enemies, and looked as if he intended some Opposition [Page 12] against them, yet presently after, when he was siez'd by the High Priest's Officers, and Peter endeavoured to rescue him, by wound­ing one of them, He there alters his Mind quite, and rebukes Peter for drawing his Sword with this severe Reprimand, Put up thy Sword into its Place, he that taketh the Sword shall perish by the Sword.

These two remarkable Sentences of our Saviour, that in my Text, and this to St. Pe­ter, may at first hearing appear liable to con­trary Interpretations; But if we rightly consi­der them, we shall find they do not only not thwart or invalidate one the other, but agree very well, and taking them both toge­ther, we may learn from them the whole Christian Doctrine of War, and what use of secular Arms the Gospel permits, and what it condemns.

1. First then, St. Peter out of an over-ha­sty Passion, and an unseasonable Zeal, when his Master was apprehended by the Ministers of the Chief Priests and Elders drew his Sword and struck a Servant of the High Priest, and smote of his Ear. This was done 'tis true, in de­fence of Christ himself, of the most Perfect [Page 13] Innocence that ever appeared in the World, it was too upon a Man that was performing a most unjust Act of Violence in it self, but what he was Commissioned to do by Publick Authority; our Saviour therefore reproves St. Peter for striking with the Sword without a sufficient Warrant, and blames the Fact, as an illegal Attempt of a Private Man against a Publick Officer set on work by a lawful Ma­gistrate: But we are not to conclude that our Blessed Saviour, by this Check given to St. Pe­ter, did absolutely prohibit all manner of using the Sword amongst Christians; if so, the Ma­gistrate himself is prohibited the use of it, who we are told by the Apostle, beareth not the Sword in vain, but indeed he cannot be said to bear it otherwise than in vain, if he may ne­ver have the liberty to draw it.

2. Secondly, We must consider when our Saviour gave this charge to his Disciples, they were then launching out into the wide World, where they must expect to meet with many Rubbs, and Dangers, therefore he ad­vises them to stand upon their own Legs, and be continually upon their Guard, that they should be Watchful and Cautious, able [Page 14] to repel any Injury or Violence offered to them, with Courage, and that therefore they should provide themselves of means necessary and requisite thereunto; In the foregoing Verse he appeals to them, and asks them, if they had any Complaints to make to him of his neglect of them, or whether they had wanted any thing in his Service, which they freely ac­knowledged they had not: He proceeds now he is leaving them, to bid them take all Care Men can of themselves, to be sure always to have their Purses and their Scrips in good Con­dition, and above all, to be well furnish'd with good Arms, not to act the least Private Injury, but to defend themselves as much as may be against all.

So that our Saviour by the Check he used to St. Peter, does no more than admonish all Private Christians to abstain from passionate, giddy, and unwarrantable Quarrels, and not to confront Publick Authority, leaving it ne­vertheless lawful for superiour Magistrates to unsheath their Swords in Defence of General Rights.

And by the Words of my Text he inti­mates, that all Christians may justly make [Page 15] Provision against all Difficulties and Dangers that may happen to be encountred with in this World, and consequently against all wrongful Insults, Incroachments, or Invasions, upon either their Persons or their Properties; so that these two Texts are so far from con­tradicting one the other, that both joyn'd and considered together, make up an excel­lent Rule for the use of the Sword.

The conclusion from both may be this; That although it is not lawful for every Pri­vate Man to revenge Personal Injuries, or to make his own Sword the Judge of Differen­ces, which belong properly to the decision of the Magistrate, much less to resist Publick Justice, whether in a wrong or a right Cause; yet a Man's Bodily Preservation and Defence from suddain Attacks, God has in some mea­sure committed to himself and his own Sword; And it is lawful, tho' not to offer Injuries, yet to resist forcible Ones with Force; but chiefly it is lawful for Men▪ to draw the Sword against Publick Injuries, in assisting the Civil State of which they are Members, whensoe­ver it calls for their Aid, being either openly [Page 16] threatned from Abroad, or secretly undermi­ned at home.

It was therefore a wrong determination of one of the Ancient Fathers, to infer from our Saviour's Command to St. Peter to put up his Sword, that it is unlawful for Christians at any time to draw theirs, and that all Military Employments are consequently criminal. This is an Opinion not only not to be maintain'd by any Evangelical Writing, but it is really absurd in it self; for what would that be but to make Cristianity a Prey to its insatiable, and a Laughing-Stock to its insolent Enemies? This were to prostitute the Lives and Fortunes of Christians, to the outragious Wills of their profess'd Enemies, Turks and Pagans; This were the readiest means for Kings and Princes to become use­less Creatures; This were to deprive good Sub­jects of Opportunities of exerting their Loy­alty, and of rewards justly due to Them, who venture their lives for their Church and Country when under any Oppression; Nay, this were to blacken the Honour of all those ancient Warriours, who fought so valiantly [Page 17] for the sake of Religion against Infidels and Barbarians.

If any Man shall object, that some of the Primitive Christians were of Opinion that the use of the Sword was unlawful, and that therefore it is still so.

1. It may be answered, that it was not the general and establish'd Opinion of the Primitive Church, but of some particular Men, that affected an harmless kind of Life, and were fond of being reputed the Fathers of some extraordinary and more than Hu­mane Opinions.

2. Some of the Primitive Chistians were so nicely Consciencious, that they would not list themselves Souldiers, nor take up Arms, because some of their Emperours, tho lawful, were Heathens, and their Consciences were so scrupulous, that that they could not serve them, whilst others, and with as good a Conscience, took the Military Oath, and did serve; with as good a Conscience, I say; for the Military Oath at that time, tendered to those that were willing to go into the Ar­my, interfered not the least with any Princi­ple of Religion, it forced no Man to worship their false Gods, it was no Test of [Page 18] Conscience, any farther than an Obligation to observe the Articles of War, to obey su­perior Officers, to submit to Words of Com­mand, and whatever outward Services Mar­tial Laws require.

We read, that some of the Jews desir'd sometimes an exemption from Military Employments, lest their frequent being upon Duty might prevent their exact Observance of all the Niceties of the Law; and they might be com­pelled sometimes to bear Arms upon the Sabbath, or in their Marches to exceed a Sabbath-Day's-Journey. So amongst the Christians, there were some perhaps, at the beginning of our Pro­fession, so very refined, that might upon a scruple of Conscience, decline taking up of Arms: The Primitive Christians were enfla­med with a mighty Zeal to all Holy and Su­blime Performances; the very Counsels of the Gospel had with them the force of Positive Commands, and a great many of them, out of a Pious Weakness, rather than Sound Judg­ment, like some of our modern Sectaries, would do things that were never directly re­quired in the Scriptures; thus some of them thought it a Sin to Marry, because St. Paul prefers a Single Life; some again, because our [Page 19] Saviour says, Swear not at all, chose rather to loose their Dues, than they would take an Oath in a Court of Justice to maintain them. But this is no Argument against the generali­ty of Christians; what a few out of their exalted, or perhaps distempered Judgments shall do, can never oblige all Mankind to the same Practice, without a positive Precept for the same; if a Sick-Brained Man shall, because our saviour checked St. Peter for draw­ing his Sword, or because it is written, unto him that smiteth thee on the one Cheek turn the other. If, I say, any wilful Person, shall, out of his own mis-understanding of these Passages, resolve to bear all Injuries and Abu­ses that can be offered him, this can be no Rule to Mankind, we are prompted other­wise by the Law of Nature, and the Law of Christ did never abolish that.

I would not be mistaken; the Law of Christ I assert, did never utterly disannul and abrogate the Law of Nature; but this it does, it re­strains and corrects the Visciousness of it: The Law of Nature, and the Dictates of Reason were Imprinted on the Hearts of Men by the Finger of God, and the Rules and Precepts of the Gospel were drawn up by the same [Page 20] Hand, so that since the same God was the Author of both, they cannot contradict each other, tho the latter does govern and curb the Exorbitances of the former; every thing that Nature prompts or provokes us to, is not to be done; because we have several Evangeli­cal Precepts against the corrupt Inclinations of it; But whatever Nature directs, and the same is not only permitted, but to be main­tained also, and justified by the Laws of Christ, that certainly is Lawful and practica­ble by Christian Men.

The Result and Inference from hence is this, That the taking up Arms upon a just Account, and allowable Conditions, is Lawful, as a thing as well permitted by the Law of Christ, as we are inclin'd and directed to it by the Law of Nature.

And that Nature does direct Mankind to a Defence against all outward Annoyances, and an Offence of those that manifestly declare themselves Enemies to it, not only every Man's own Breast, but every Author in all Ages informs us. This is a Law, says Tully, Non Scripta, sed Nata, &c. Not Orat. pro Tit. An. Mil. drawn up in Writing for us, but Born with us, which we have not learned or acquired by [Page 21] Reading, but it was instilled into our very Beings, That, whenever our Lives are in any Perils, either from treacherous Thieves and As­sassines, or from open Enemies, then all means of freeing our selves and obtaining Safety, are Just and Honourable; This Principle was looked upon by the Romans so very Just and Reasonable, that they transfer'd it into their Twelve Tables, and made it Authentick by Law.

I would not be mis-apprehended; While I justifie the War, and taking up of Arms by the Law of Nature, I would not be understood to countenance all Acts of Violence, or Rapine, or Blood-shedding, or that it were Naturally Lawful for the Stronger Part of Mankind, to prey upon, or devour the Weaker; For this, tho Mr. Hobbs has been pleas'd so to scanda­lize it, is not any part of the Law of Nature, Humane Nature rightly disposed and unde­praved, is not of that fierce and brutal Tem­per, Do as you would be done by; Give every Man his Due, and such like, are Laws of Nature; all which, tend to the Welfare and Quiet of Mankind: Humane Nature is Gentle, and Tractable, and Courteous, and is so far a-kin even to Christian Charity it self, that some­times [Page 22] it can suffer long; nor will it be easily provoked; But when the Man is justly provo­ked, and the furious Enemy breaks in violent­ly upon him, then it is, that Nature reaches out the Sword to him, and Christianity for­bids him not the use of it.

Thus far my First Proposition stands good, and thus far the taking up of Arms is agree­able to the Doctrine of Christ.

II. Secondly, I will now enquire at what Seasons and Conjunctures of Time, Arms may be most justly, and with truest Praise employed; and that

• 1. In respect of Private Persons.
• 2. In respect of Publick States and Go­vernments.

1. In respect of Private Persons; A Pri­vate Man may unquestionably draw his Sword when assaulted and put in danger of his Life; Murder or the taking away a Man's Life upon deliberation and with a premedita­ted Malice, is both a very heinous Sin, and very prejudicial to the Government; and therefore it falls under the cognizance of the common Law; but if I am set upon un­awars, and brought to the unavoidable ne­cessity [Page 23] of either being killed my self, or by killing my Adversary to save my self, here not only Nature and common Reason advi­ses me to secure my Person, but the Law too acquits me of the Fact. In this case, says the Heathen Orator, the Law con­nives and is silent, nor does it expect Silent Leges inter Ar­ma, nec se Expectari ju­bent, quum ei, qui expe­ctare velit, ante injusta Poena luenda sit quam ju­sta repetenda. Pro Tit. An. Mil. to be refer'd to, when a Man, tho he is willing perhaps the Law should be his Judge, may wrongfully suffer, before he can legally right himself. Whenever therefore any single Man is so streightned that his Sword must remove his Adversary, before he can be sure of himself, there the taking away of the Aggressor's Life, is as Commendable and Just as it is Natural. This is a Truth, says the same Author, that Men of Learning are convinced of by Rea­ding, Uncivilized and Barbarous People are taught by the Power of Reason, all Nations Practice by Custom, and even Brute and Ir­rational Creatures are guided to by Nature.

But for Revenge of Injuries received, it is not Lawful for a Private Man to have recourse to his own Sword; that is a Privelege not to be usurp'd by every Single Person: It is there­fore nothing else but a perfect Invasion upon [Page 24] Publick Athority, and an open trespass upon Justice; That too common Custom amongst us of Mens doing themselves Right, as it is falsly Phrased, by Private Duels. It is not only a Violation, but a rude Contempt of the Go­vernment to which they belong, that Private Men should take the Sword of Justice into their own Hands, and take upon themselves to redress those Grievances which they have recieved, the doing of which, is the sole Business, as well as the undoubted Prerogative of the Magistrate; and then that Military Men should upon every imaginary Pique, or trifling Affront, every Sha­dow of Honour hazard their Lives one among another, which might more Honourably be ventured in the Service of God and their King, that brave and gallant Men should thus un­profitably fall, is not only a great pity, but a great Damage and Dis-service too to the Cause they are publickly engaged for; Julius Caesar tells us of Two of his Officers that had a Quarrel, and that their way of ending the Dispute, was not in a single Duel behind a Hedge, but by challenging and defying one another in an open Engagement with the E­nemy, who should approve himself then the braver Man; This was Heroically performed [Page 25] and like true Romans: For they who were the most Victorious Nation of the Ancient World, never practised this mistaken way of Honour, called Duelling: Nay, that very Nation of the modern World, that principally intro­duced it, has now quite forgot it. The En­glish methinks should not esteem that a part of Bravery, which the Old Romans, whose greatness of Mind they do in other things come up to, never thought so: But let us learn from our very Enemies, for Vertues are to be appoved of even in them, as we follow them in other Fashions, so to imitate them in this; but if that Consideration will not take place with us, let us leave of this Vitious Cu­stome in very despight of them, that They may not by this have any Advantage over us.

2. As by Private Men for safety, tho not for revenge, the Sword may be justly drawn, so much more by all in a Publick Cause, and then not only for Safety, but for Revenge. The repaying of Vengeance is a Privelege God claims to himself, and to none in this World but to the Magistrate of Justice has God committed that Power: The right of Punishment is Originally invested in him­self, tho he is pleased to commit the Execu­tion [Page 26] of it to the Hand and Management of Man: And as the Sheriff does inflict the Pu­nishment on a Malefactor, in the Name, and on the Behalf of the King, so does the King himself derive his Power and Right of Cor­recting Wickedness, and Exercising the Sword, from God: This is a Truth, that not only holds good in formal Processes of Law against Murderers, Thieves, or any other Disturbers of the Civil Peace and Societies of Men; but also in national Grievances and Oppressions: Whenever any People or Government is ei­ther invaded or threatened; when national In­juries are apparently designed or actually of­fered, when Ruine and Desolation, like the Father of them, go about seeking whom they may devour, and nothing can satisfie them till they are glutted with the Possessions of their Neighbours round about them; in a Word, when the boundless Ambition of any one Potentate shall thirst after nothing less than an Universal Dominion, then certainly to put a Hook into the Nose of this rowling Leviathan, then to levy a War, and to endeavour to put a stop to this swelling Torrent, then to draw the Sword and to oppose this impetuous Fu­ruy, is not only Lawful, but Necessary.

And certainly if there ever was any Cause, any time since Christianity was first heard of, to which either Reason has more than ordi­narily persuaded, or Religion recommended, The use of the Sword, and the due Prepara­tions for using it, This of ours is the Cause, this the Time, which brings me to my Third and last thing I proposed to shew, which was,

III. Thirdly, that the War we are at present engaged in, has all the Arguments to justifie it, that can be required for the carrying on of any.

Some of the Doctors of the Schools tell us, there are Four Conditions requisite to ju­stifie a War;

• 1. The Cause must be just,
• 2. The Authority must be lawful,
• 3. The Manner of it must be fair,
• 4. The End propos'd must be for the Pub­lick Good.

It would be too tedious to enlarge upon upon every Condition seperately. The War now undertaken, and hitherto (blessed be God) successfully carryed on by the Confederate Christian Princes, was concerted and raised certainly upon the justest Cause whatever, which was the vindication of both Ecclesiasti­cal [Page 28] and Temporal Rights: The Authority is unquestionable, which is founded on the Unanimous Consent of so many Princes and Potentates, who are God's Delegates here upon Earth: The Manner is fair, which is Defensive against the unjust Incursions of one great Disturber of the Christian World: And the End proposed is for the Publick Good, which, 'tis to be hoped, may be an honourable and an advantageous Peace.

This is the Nature of our Present Con­federacy; the Grounds and Occasion of it may be maintained by all the Laws of God and Man; the Methods it is supported by and nourished are honest and equitable; and the Ends we aim at are every way con­formable to the Holy Religion of Christ, which prescribes Peace and Quiet, Charity to Neighbours, and Good Will to all Men.

This indeed is the best, and the only true Cause, for which all good Subjects are obli­ged in Conscience to fight, The Cause of God and their Country; the Goodness of which appears from the several Interests uni­ted in it: For in this, not only the Happi­ness of the Nations to which we belong our selves, not only the Security of our own [Page 29] Persons is involved, but the Inheritances and Possessions, the Honour and Interest of most of the Christians of Europe are inter­mixt and woven: And that so mighty a Design should all this while be so success­fully carried on, that so many different Parties and States should joyn, and as firm­ly combine as the Heart of one Man, This is a wonderful thing, and must needs point out the Almighty Contriver of it; This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes: This is the Lord mighty in Battle.

The Success of King Cyrus when he went against Babylon, is very memorable and re­markable: We meet with several Instances of an Almighty and Over-ruling Power throughout that whole Expedition: For what was it else, but the Hand of God, who governs and commands the Hearts of Men, that brought in so many Confederate Forces to his Assistance, some of which were not only Allies, but even Subjects to the Babylonians, without whose concurring help the whole Enterprise had miscarried? That great Victory is not to be imputed to the sole Conduct and Management of King Cy­rus; or indeed, to the Strength of his Ar­my, [Page 30] but to him, to whom (as the Prophet speaks) All Nations are as the drop of a Bucket. He that told Cyrus, I have girded thee, tho thou hast not known me. He it was that pro­vided the Means and effected the Work; He set up the Standard, and blew the Trumpet, and prepared the Nations.

We have great Reason to acknowledge the same Power with us too; He it is that goeth forth with our Armies to Battle, and protects us against all the close and invete­rate Designs of our Enemies; He it is that has influenced the Councils of so many distinct Governments, to join their Forces against one mighty Devourer of his Neigh­bours: And who may this potent Adver­sary, who may this great Incendiary of Christendom be? Even he, who nevertheless is not ashamed to bear the Title of the most Christian King.

And here I cannot but reflect upon what Spirit it must be that does actuate this migh­ty Man, that no Laws, either Humane or Divine, can fasten any Obligations on him: How many Treaties of Peace has he tram­pled upon and broke? What Nation round about him has not He been unfaithful to? [Page 31] It were superfluous to mention his Attempt upon Spain after the Pyrenean Peace; Mun­ster, and Nimegue, and his late Violation of the Truce agreed upon by his own Propo­sal for Twenty Years, do all testifie against him: And above all, his entring into a League Offensive and Defensive with the Turk, the known and declared Enemy of Christendom, at a time too when that Em­pire was in its Declination, shews plainly how much his Ambition oversways his Faith and Honour, and how every way de­serving he is of the Title of the most Chri­stian King.

Against this Man, if their Temporal In­terests were not concerned, the very regard to the Christian Religion would justly Arm all the Professors of it. But the Conside­ration of Worldly Peace and Quiet, the En­joyment of our proper Possessions, the free Exercise of Trade, the Recovery of what has been forcibly usurped, the requiring of Satisfaction for the Breach of Trust and Honour, as well as the Vindication of our most Holy Religion; and many other Con­siderations do concur to recommend and justifie this present Cause of ours.

And This is a Cause, for which sure no­thing but our own Sins can hinder God Al­mighty in his due time more signally to ap­pear: This is a Cause that I am verily per­swaded, and dare almost presage, will, when­ever God's Chastisments shall have wrought their intended Effects upon us, prove suc­cessful: To this let every Man stretch his Arm; in This let all engage with Chear­fulness and Alacrity; in This great num­bers of our Countrymen have already ven­tured and lost their Lives; One of our most D. of O. noble Patriots most eminently hazarded his: For this it is that our most Gracious KING does so often choose to harass and expose His Sacred Person. This then, after so great an Example, all of us should in our several Stations manfully maintain and stand up for: For this every True English­man that has no Sword, should, if need so require, sell his Garment and buy one; we ha­ving such Laws and Liberties to defend, we having such a Church and Faith to contend for, we having such a Faith's-Defender, whom we ought to serve with our Purses, our Scrips, our Swords, our Lives.