A catechisme for souldiers; to save soules and prevent blood shewing the termes upon which the profession of a souldier may be undertaken, and the rules and directions whereby it is to be managed: and the great guilt of sinne and danger of judgment that hangs over those that undertake it in an unrighteous way. 1659 Approx. 10 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 7 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-04 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A74720 Thomason E2124_2 ESTC R210170 99868993 99868993 170579

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A74720) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 170579) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 242:E2124[2]) A catechisme for souldiers; to save soules and prevent blood shewing the termes upon which the profession of a souldier may be undertaken, and the rules and directions whereby it is to be managed: and the great guilt of sinne and danger of judgment that hangs over those that undertake it in an unrighteous way. 13, [3] p. Printed by T.M. for Edward Thomas, at the Adam and Eve in Little Britaine, London : 1659. The last leaf is blank. Annotation on Thomason copy: "Decemb: Xber. 20". Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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eng Catechisms, English -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2009-12 Assigned for keying and markup 2010-01 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2010-02 Sampled and proofread 2010-02 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2010-04 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

A Catechiſme FOR Souldiers; to ſave Soules and prevent Blood.

Shewing the termes upon which the profeſſion of a Souldier may be undertaken, and the rules and directions whereby it is to be managed: and the great guilt of ſinne and danger of Judgment that hangs over thoſe that undertake it in an unrighteous way.

LONDON, Printed by T. M. for Edward Thomas, at the Adam and Eve in Little Britaine, 1659.

A CATECHISM for Souldiers; To ſave Souls, and prevent Blood

Queſt. WHat are you by Profeſſion?

Anſ. A Souldier.

Q. Is that a Lawfull profeſſion?

A. Yea, if it be undertaken upon Juſt and Righteous termes, and managed according to Gods directions.

Q. How prove you that it is a lawfull profeſſion?

A. Firſt, Becauſe God appointed his people thereunto in ſeveral places of the holy Scripture.

Secondly. The holy Saints of God were exerciſed therein, as, Abraham, Joſhua, David, Cornelius, and others.

Thirdly, becauſe God gave directions for the managing of Warre, whereas he gives no directions for the exerciſe of ſin.

Fourthly, Becauſe John the Baptiſt, when the Queſtion was propoſed to him by Souldiers, what they ſhould doe, Luke 3.14. did not diſcharge them from their Office, but required them to manage it righteouſly, viz. That they ſhould doe Violence to no man, and be content with their wages.

Q. What are the termes and directions that are to be obſerved, that the work of a Souldier may be lawfully performed?

A. They are of divers ſorts.

Q. What is the firſt?

A. The firſt is that the Warr be Juſt and undertaken upon a Righteous cauſe, and not for the carrying on of Violence and Oppreſſion.

Q. What is the ſecond?

A. The ſecond is, that the Warre be neceſſary upon a matter of weight and publique concernment, after the attempt of all fair and juſt means for the compoſure of the difference, and for the preventing of blood.

Q. What is the third?

A. That the Commiſſion for the action of War be derived from God, who is the Lord of Hoſts; by the power and Authority of thoſe who are his Subſtitutes for that purpoſe, unto whom he hath committed the power of the Sword; as are the Supreme, and the Lawful Magiſtrates.

Q. What is the fourth?

A. The fourth is, that the juſt cauſe of the Warre be manifeſted and publiſhed, for the conviction of the oppoſite party; and for the ſatiſfaction of thoſe that are to be engaged in it, and for the directions of the conſciences of all the people, where they are to give their aſſiſtance in it.

Q. What is the fifth?

A. That the Warr be undertaken againſt ſuch a perſon as is liable to ſuch a violent oppoſition, which cannot be the Supreme Magiſtrate lawfully eſtabliſhed, in regard of thoſe that are his Subjects, and under his Government, Rom. 13.1, 2, 3. 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15.

Q. What is the ſixth?

A. That the Warre be undertaken and managed to a righteous end, and ſuch as is proportionable to the buſineſs of a Warre, viz. That it be undertaken for the glory of God and the Publique good, and ſuch a publique good, as may be anſwerable for the hazards, and the miſchiefs of a War: For private inconveniences are to be ſuffered rather than the publique peace diſturbed, and ſmall inconveniences, though publique, are rather to be born, than the great miſchiefs of a War ſhould be hazarded.

Q. What is the ſeventh?

A. That the Warre be carried on with righteous and moderate affections, not delighting in the work of deſtruction, and ruine of any, but ſeeking the reduction of Offendors, the preſervation of the Innocent, and the righteous eſtabliſhment of all hings; by no means aiming to advance our ſelves, by the ruines and ammages of others, nor at private evenge, nor yet to force the conſci nces of any in matters of Religion, contrary to the ſetled ſtate of things of that nature, without ſatisfaction offered.

Q. What is the eighth.

A. That they that are engaged in the War make uſe of none but lawfull and righteous means, for the obtaining of their juſt and righteous ends, not plundering the Innocent, nor doing hurt unto any, more than is neceſſary or apparently requiſite for the procurement of a juſt Concluſion of the War; for God hath no need of the Devil, nor hath he made Vertue an imperfect thing, that it ſhould ſtand in need of Vice to be its fellow. Souldier, or to joyn with it for the procurement of its righteous purpoſes.

Q. What is the Nineth?

A. That all faithfulneſſe be uſed in Treaties and Agreements.

Q. What is the Tenth?

A. That nothing be done againſt Oathes and Covenants, 9 of Joſhua compared with 1 Samuel •• .

Q. What is the Eleventh?

A. The Eleventh is, that other things being rectified, as aforeſaid, the action be managed with religious courage, waiting upon God with patience and ſubmiſſion in all Defeats, wherewith the enterprizes ſhall be encountered; receiving them either as chaſtiſements for ſin, or as tryals of our Faith and Conſtancy in Gods Work, not as diſcharges from the purſuance of that Duty, which God hath called and enabled unto, Judg. 20. v. 18, 19, 20, 21, and v. 24, 25, 28. and looking conſtantly to God, and depending upon him for all ſucceſſe and Victory.

Q. What is the Twelfth?

A. That a ſtrict obedience be performed unto the Command of Superiours, though never ſo hazardous, where they appear not contradictory to the rules of God, or of any authority that is Superiour unto them.

Q. What is the laſt?

A. That God be acknowledged with thankfulneſſe in all ſucceſſes and Victories; and mercy uſed to ſubdued enemies, where it may be done without publike miſchief, 2 Chron. 20.26. 2 Kings 6.21, 22. 2 Chrou. 28. from the 11. to the 16.

Q. What is the danger of the undertaking of an unjust War?

A. The danger is very great upon ſeveral accompts; Firſt, becauſe you ſhould fight againſt God, who is the Protector of all righteouſneſſe, and of the Authority of the lawfull Magiſtrate, and of all the juſt Rights of his People.

Secondly, Becauſe he that fights in an unjuſt War, is a Murtherer of every man that he deſtroyes, and a Thief in every thing that he plunders; eſpecially, when he knows it to be unjuſt, or is not enabled by a right Commiſſion.

3. Becauſe, though God may ſuffer a man to proſper in ſuch a War, for the correction of others; or for thoſe ends that are beſt known unto him: yet no man can have any aſſurance that God will be with him in ſuch an Action; but that he may be left unto deſtruction and damnation in every attempt that he ſhall adventure upon.

Fourthly, becauſe he that acts in ſuch a War, is not onely guilty of all the miſchiefs by himſelf committed, but of all the Murthers, Rapines, and Violences, that are committed by any other in the whole Warre; which are encouraged by his conſent and aſſiſtance; and is anſwerable to God for all the blood that is ſpilt; and bound to reſtitution for all injuries that are done; a load ſufficient to ſink him to the depth of hell.

Q. Is it neceſſary that every ſouldier ſhould be ſatisfied of the Juſtneſſe of the Cauſe of a War?

A. All Volunteers are anſwerable for the Juſtneſſe of the Cauſe; and therefore ought to be ſatisfied of it in their Conſciences; but they that ſerve upon Command, under their lawfull Prince, are not bound alwayes perfectly to know it; but it concerns them to ſee that there be nothing manifeſt to the contrary.

Q. May the Sword then be uſed in no caſe without the Commiſſion of the Supream Magistrate.

A. Yes, In caſe of Neceſſity for private defence againſt private violence, where there is not opportunity of appeale to the Magiſtrate for his Protection; and alſo in caſe where the power of the ſupream Magiſtrate is obſtructed by violence, or rendered uſeleſs by abſence, in ſuch caſes ſometimes the Law may give a Commiſſion, and ſometimes Commiſſions may proceed from a delegated Authority.

Pſalm 50.22.

Now conſider this ye that forget God, leaſt he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you.

FINIS.