THE ARRIEREBAN: A SERMON preached to the Company of the MILITARY YARD, At St Andrew's Church in Holborn on St JAMES his day last.  
By JOHN EVERARDE Student in Divinity, and Lecturer at Saint martin's in the fields.  SENEC. ep. 17. 
Remotis istis lusorijs armis, decretorijs opus erit.  
LONDON, Printed by E. G. for Thomas Walkley, and are to be sold at his shop at the Eagle and Child in Britain's Burse. 1618.   

Digno PATRIS filio. HONORATISSIMO DOMINO FRANCISCO, Baroni Verulamij, summo ANGLIAE Cancellario, Serenissimo Principi jacobo MAGNO, Magnae BRITANNIAE Monarchae potentissimo, à sanctioribus Consilijs. Magnificentissimo literarum ac literatorum Mecaenati.  
MIrabitur, sat scio, Amplitudo tua, Honoratissime Domine, quid isti chlamydato Militi, tecum, pacis nempe & legum destinâ, sit negotij.  
Homo impolitus & asper, vereoi ut incoram tui ipse pro se loqui vel sciat, vel non erubescat: Itaque ego, qui eius parens audio, &, ut apud Aegyptios, solus generis autor, si paulisper mihi audientiam tribueris commune utriusque votum expediam.  
Postquam inventus est, qui Theaginis defuncti statuam, ac si viventem ulcisceretur, denocte flagris caederet; exinde caepit iste meus Tyro eximiè timere rebus suis, ne idem sibi usuveniret, ut destitutus vindice, absens, ac inscius vapularet: Proin nimium quantum orat, ut quoniam juxta Pindaricum illud, 
— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. in ipso statim aditu( tanquam infantibus laudatis antiquum illud PRAEFISCINI occinerem) illustris tui nominis fulgore, & virtutis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malos oculos praestringerem: Ego verò, qui sponte mea id facturus eram, miratus praeterea, at facillim● agnoscens ingenium militare, tantum dominationi tuae ex animo tribuens,( foelix toga quam protegunt arma, foeliciora arma quibus favet toga, o utinam indirupta copula, & perpetua vos teneat concordia;) eo magis, magisque Honorem tuum compellans 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  sed istud confidentior paulò, sed timidior tamen. Auget enim mihi animum, fateor, quia Magnum hoc est & literarum viro convenientissimum, cum studijs ipse maximis polleat, ea & in aliis etiam minima complecti: Auget vultus ille tuus in supplices 
perpetuum nulla temeratus nube serenum:  Auget benigna pietas quae Musas semper eousque coluit, ut nunquam 
— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  verum despondere itidem cogunt, accuratum illud judicium, cuius limam subire metuunt- quae multa dies & multa litura coercuit; negotiorum tuorum moles quae tibi uni nec puero unquam ferias contingere passa est; praecipuè autem flumen illud, & torrens eloquentiae— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quo perfusa beantur, foelicissima illa, & aeternùm victura tua scripta.  
Inter spem igitur metumque fluctuans, quid agerem? Sanè, 
ut cum fata volent, bina venena jwant,  ita consultius duxi, minutias istas, tametsi extra oleas forsan cavillabitur Aristarchus, non minori cum impudentia, quam ineptia, nomini tuo( clarum Angliae & beneficum sydus) inscribere, quam diutiùs intestata sinere effusa dediti tibi penitissimè animi desideria; Diutius, inquam, nam quid deinceps molior, erunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Interea loci, qui mos Aegyptiorum fuit, Deos suos, dum sacra face rent, inarticulata voce colentium, ut plurimis indigentes, & votis tamen & vocibus se destitutos significarent; eundem ego  
Amplitudinis tuae servus à sacris infimus joannes Euerardus.   

TO ALL THAT EITHER love or follow the profession of Arms, in a good cause, with a good Conscience, and for a good end.  
More particularly, TO THE WORTHY GENTLEMAN, CAPTAIN FRANCIS CONISBY, and the selected Company of them that practise the Exercise of Arms in the MILITARY YARD.  
FOR all your sakes, and at many of your requests, I have hereby adventured to be wondered at, as a Saul among the Prophets, and engaged myself into what further obloquy a native propension and inclination to your noble quality can cast upon me.  
Yet, I confess, when I preached the Sermon, I only intended it one hours life, unless the memory & meditation of the hearers could have reprieved it longer: But when I saw the power of pale-faced Malice conspiring with most unworthy baseness, laboured to beget me more shame and lasting disgrace, than so momentary and transient an action could either conceal or redeem; I was easily moved to make my good purposes as public, as their vile and injurious practices had been notorious, & as voulntarily to submit myself to the Arrest of all honest judgements, as I was then forced to do, to their insulting & unseasonable follies.  
I walk thus in the clouds, because I would have the plaster no bigger than the sore; and therefore leaving them to their future repentance, I return to you, whose hoped good and encouragement from hence, is the point and term to which this motion tends: If it there arrive, acknowledge the wisdom of him, that made meat come out of the eater, and this sweet out of the sour: And blame not me, though there be some things added, and many things altered: The liberty of the Pulpit is too little, but that of the Press, in our affairs, is much less: Besides that in all writings, somewhat must necessarily be understood, which the Euphonia of the present times will not bear, if too accentively expressed▪ For man to man is a Tyrant, & Pr●●●ustes like, cutteth of Giants, and stretcheth out Pigmees to the measure of that bed, wherein his imagination lieth.  
If you have felt this evil hand, nibbling at your quality and profession, think it not strange; your General hath called you to follow him in these and greater Conflicts: Only let all things be done in faith, and let your faith be warranted by the privy seal of a good Conscience, and the Letters Patents of Scripture, and then you shall see, how far unable the breath of man is to shake that, against which the Gates of hell shall not prevail.  
But I will not anticipate myself, in giving that counsel at the door, which I can but repeat in the best room of the house. I conclude; Chi pecora si fa, il lupo la mangia, Him that makes himself a sheep, the wolf devours, saith the proverb; But he that is prepared to save himself and others, shall after he hath seen seven contemners take hold of his skirt for safety, rest 〈◊〉 peace among the mighty men, among the valiant men which are fallen, which have gone down to the grave with their weapons of war, and have laid their swords under their heads.  
Now enter, and take in good part, the poor, but hearty welcome, and cheerful entertainment of  
Your most affectionate friend and wellwisher IO: EVERARDE.   
PROV. 21.31. 
The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but salvation is of the Lord.  
THESE three books of 
a jerom. in prolog. Galeat.  Solomon, which only of all those great & voluminous 
b 1 Reg. 4.32, 33.  works of his, the providence of GOD hath to this time preserved in the Canon of Scripture, are like the three Tabernacles, which S. Peter would have had built upon the Mountain, where his Master was 
c Mat. 17.4.  transfigured; one for Moses, one for Elias, and one for Christ.  
This book of proverbs, or Parables, is like the Tabernacle of Moses, containing matters moral and political: Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher, is like the Tabernacle of Elias, sparkling with the fire of a sacred zeal, the light whereof discovers, and reprehends the vanity of all things under the Sun: But his Song, or rather The Song, Canticum Canticorum, is the Tabernacle of jesus filled with that sweetness, which none can conceive but they that taste; with 
d Revel. 2.17.  hidden Manna, which only Contemplation feeds on; with new names, which only Contemplation reads; with new light, which only Contemplation discovers; and with new tones and raptures, which only Contemplation hears: 
e Cant. 8.13.  O thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken unto thy voice, cause me to hear it.  
But we must down again from this eminent height, and for this night take our rest, at the foot of Jacob's ladder, in this forest of Proverbs, amongst which( such is their nature and condition) 
f jansen. prolog. in comment. in Prou.  you can expect no dependence; nor need wish any, every line showing Apelles his hand, and every letter the wisdom of him, that had a 
g 1 Reg 3.12.  wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like unto him before him, neither after him shall arise the like unto him.  
For this particular, we see here Almighty God,( who in every syllable of his word breathes freedom and royal majesty, and is as sparing in those 
h Non ego inornata & d●minantia nomina solùm, Verbaque, Pisones, satyrarum scriptor amabo. Horat duarte poet.  dominantes sermons, speeches which will not be easily translated from their first notion, as frequent in flourishing Allegories, both of necessity and ornament) commending unto us the wisdom of man, in his provision and preparation for things necessary, but reserving unto himself the power and authority to dispose thereof: conformably to other places of scripture; Behold( saith 
i jer. 4.13.  jeremy) he shall come up as the clouds, and his charets shall be as a tempest; His horses are lighter than Eagles: There's the wisdom of Nabuchad-nezzar, in parandis equis ad diem belli, in praeparing horses against the day of war: yea but, saith 
k Psal 33.16, 17.  David, The King is not saved by the multitude of an host, neither is the mighty man delivered by his great strength; An horse is counted but a vain help etc. There's God's prerogative to cross the greatest means, and to give a blessing to the weakest, and most despised, when it shall please him to work such Miracles: Dominus enim salutem tribuit, for it is he that giveth health, salvation, or victory.  
So that you have in this text one proverb justified by an other; for here is, Man purposing, and God disposing; or if you will, The commendable wisdom of man, and The commanding power of God; The one in praeparing the horse against the day of battle; The other in preserving or giving victory, with means, without means, against means: But salvation is of the Lord.  
And with this plain division, and the pursuit of these two points, I shall desire you will rest satisfied, without expecting, that I should spin my text out into so small threads( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
l Aristoph. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scholar  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) as will neither be for the profit of your memories, in the wearing; nor the dignity of the subject, in delivering: For as 
m Ep. 89.  Seneca of Philosophy, so I of Scripture, Dividi in parts, non in frusta concîdi utile arbitror, think it fit, 
n 2 Tim 2.15.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to divide it aright, and to distinguish it into his parts, but not to mince it into so small and invisible Atoms, as if the whole body of Divinity were made of nothing else.  
The horse is prepared for the day of battle.  
The horse] It is an ordinary figure in the language of Canaan, by specifying one part of anything, to intimate the whole: So you have sometimes a finger put a man; 
o Esa. 2.8.  They worship that which their own fingers have made: Sometimes a foot, 
p Psal. 119.105  Thy word is a lantern unto my feet: Sometimes a hand, 
q job. 4.3.  Manus lass as roborasti, Thou hast strengthened the weak hands: and sometimes a head, 
r Exod. 16.16.  Gather of it( Manna) every man according to his eating, an Omer for a head.  
In like manner, it putteth, for the whole power and preparation of war, sometimes no more than a Bow: 
s jerem 50.29.  All you that bend the bow, besiege ye Babel round about, let none escape: Sometimes only an Arrow, Perforabit eas sagittis suis, 
t Num. 24.8.  saith Balaam of Israel, He shall shoot them through with his arrows: Sometimes only a sword, 
u Psal. 44.3.  They got not the land in possession by their own swords: Sometimes a shield only, 
x 2 Sam. 1.21.  For, there the shield of the mighty is cut down: Sometimes Charets' only, 
y 2 Reg. 19.23.  By the multitude of my Charets I am come up to the top of the mountains, says Sennacherib by his messengers: And sometimes horses only, as josh. 11.6. I will deliver them into thine hands, & equos eorum subneruabis, thou shalt hough their horses: And in these words of my Text, The horse is prepared against the day of battle. By which is meant not that this wisdom, counsel, and understanding consisteth in providing horses only, nor peradventure horses 
z The question whether the service of foot or horse be more necessary or honourable( not falling properly under the decision of a Divine) you shall find argued apud Machiavelli. discous. lib. 2. c. 18. & apud julium Ferrettum lib. de antique. instaur. & illustr. militia tit. 51. n. 53. & apud V●g●t. lib 2. cap. 1.  chiefly against the day of battle; but generally, totum apparatum belli, all manner of provision, men, munition, and( that which Q. Curtius, somewhat besides the good liking of 
a Machian. Discors. lib. 2. cap. 10.  Machiavelli, calls the sinews of war) money, and what else soever the judgement of man can foresee, to be any ways necessary, either for an offensive, or a defensive war, as the occasions shall most probably arise.  
A point which the Wiseman thought fit to drive, like a nail of the Sanctuary, into the knotty timber of secure hearts, with many blows, and therefore beside testimonium oris, the testimony of his word, we have also testimonium operis, his own precedent and example, who when 
b 1 Reg. 4.25.  he had peace round about him, and all juda and Israel dwelled without fear, every man under his vine and under his figtree, from Dan even to Beersheba; yet at that time, besides the maintaining of his Navy( the safest wall of a sea-bordering kingdom) he had Cities for store, and Cities where his Charets for war were kept, and Cities where his soldiers were garrisoned, and forty thousand horses always in a readiness, and twelve thousand horsemen continually in pay: And certainly, howsoever this policy escape our practice, yet( like all virtue, which laudatur & alget) it cannot want our approbation, while that proverb of 
c Ingrediare viam caelo licet usque fereno, Ad subitas nunquam scortea desit aquas. Mart. lib. 14. ep. 120.  taking a cloak with us in fair weather, shall be as well understood, as generally used; the rather, because all times do abound in the examples of those, 
d Hieron. dialog. advers. Pelag.  Qui dum non timent, in sereno patiuntur tempestatem, who are suddenly wracked before they see any appearance of danger.  
'tis true: it was once prophesied of the days that were then to come, 
e Esa. 2.4.  Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres, They shall break their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into scythes; But take away, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the cover of the letter, and you shall find there no prohibition of the use of weapons, and lawful war,( much less of the due preparation thereunto;) 
f Agit enim de pace interna, non externa. vide Aquin. 2.2 q. 40 art. 1. ad 3.  But only, a sweet and gracious promise of unity, and spiritual concord, between them who are, 
g Gal. 6.10.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of the household of faith, and know themselves to be brethren by grace, sons of the same father, God: children of the same mother, the Church: heirs of the same hope, happiness: and members of the same body, whereof Christ jesus is the head; And indeed if all men were 
h Rome 15 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Homer Ilia●. 1. notetur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, like minded one towards another; or, as the same Apostle had fully expressed himself in the twelfth chapter and tenth verse of that Epistle to the Romans, not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, loving as brethren, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, kindly affectioned one towards another in brotherly love: Certainly then, 
i Esa. 11.6, 7, 8.  The wolf might dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child might lead them; And the cow & the Bear might feed, their young ones might lie down together, and the lion might eat straw like the ox; The sucking child might play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child might put his hand on the cockatrice den. But seeing that 
k 2 Thess 3.2.  all men have not faith, and that 
l Esa 57.20.  the wicked are like the raging sea which cannot rest, wanting all peace, both external, internal, and eternal: Surely, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men: It is not only lawful, but necessary to follow our saviours advice, Luc. 22.36. Let him that hath no sword sell his coat and buy him one: lest it fall out with us, as it did with the many thousands of Israel, 
m 1 Sam. 13.22.  When the day of battle came, there was neither sword, nor spear found in the hands of the people that were with Saul and jonathan.  
Nor doth this preparation to war argue an indisposition to peace;( Peace, that blessing which as all other, not only 
n james 1.17. ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) perfect gifts, but( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) good givings is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights: Peace, 
o August. de Civit. Dei lib. 19 cap. 11.  qua nihil in rebus terrenis gratiosius solet audiri, nihil desiderabilius concupisci, nihil postremo potest melius inveniri: than which there can be nothing named with more willingness, nothing wished for with more heartiness, nothing found with more happiness: 
— 
p Sil. Ital. lib. 11.  Pax optima rerum  
Quas homini novisse datum est: pax una triumphis,  
Innumeris potior,—   
Peace, the best of earthly blessings given unto mortality: more safe than any war: more secure than any victory: more glorious than all triumphs:) No, no; 
q Cyprian de jejune.  Ordinatio divina non est peccatorum obstetrix; we shall never find that any commandment of God, doth either directly or indirectly imply a necessity of sinning: He that professeth himself in his word, to be Sequester pacis, a Peacemaker, enjoining us to 
r Psal. 34 14.  seek peace & ensue it; cannot be, lest he should be unlike himself, incentiwm belli, a stirrer up of strife and sedition: But if you will be pleased to remember, that 
s Exod. 17.16.  war with Amalek, is the condition of Israel's peace: that 
t Psal. 122.3.  jerusalem is built as a city that is at unity in itself: And that as we are commanded 
u Rome 12 18.  to have peace with all men, with a double condition: First, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, if it be possible. Secondly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for our part; So there are some with whom we may upon no condition, either make 
x Deut 7.2. & judg. 2.2.  covenant, or 
y Deut. 23.6.  peace; For, 
z Esa. 32.17.  opus justitiae pax, True peace is the fruit, the issue, the daughter of Equity and justice: Then shall you see how far the 
a Danaeus ad D. August. de haere●ibus. cap. 22.  Marcionites, 
b Idem ibid. ad cap. 86. verum Tertull. excusa tur( nec immeritò) ab eius vindice Pamelio in comment. ad lib. de corona militis.  Tertullianists, Anabaptists, and whosoever else condemneth the use of the sword,( if managed by the hand of the Magistrate) are from that spirit which leads into all truth; an endowment whereof( though happily none of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, gifts which are without repentance) the Scripture hath always acknowledged valour and fortitude in this kind, to be.  
When Israel in their necessity cried unto the Lord, and the Lord in his mercy gave them Othniel the son of Kenaz, to save them from the hands of their enemies; The Text saith, that 
c judg. 3.10.  The spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war.  
Afterwards, when Gedeon was appointed to fight the Lords battles against the Midianites & Amalekites, 
d judg. 6.34.  The spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he blew a trumpet, & Abiezer was joined with him.  
Again, when jephthah was chosen General against the children of Ammon, 
e judg. 11 29.33.  The spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he smote them from Aroer, till thou come to Minnith.  
Moreover, when Samson was assaulted by a Lion, in the vineyards, as he was going down to Timnath, Irruit in eum spiritus Domini: 
f judg. 14.6.  The spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore him, as one should have rend a kid, and had nothing in his hand: And lest it should be said, that this was but in his own defence against a beast, the same testimony is given as well when he slew the thirty men of 
g judg. 14.19.  Ashkelon, as when he destroyed a thousand with the 
h judg. 15.14.  jaw-bone of an Ass.  
In like manner, when Saul had heard that Naash the Ammonite had besieged jabesh Gilead, and would not hearken to any composition, without the thrusting out of all their right eyes, it is said, that 
i 1 Sam. 11.6.  The spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he was exceeding angry.  
As than it is beyond all question, that valour of this kind is from the spirit of the Lord, so it shall not want impiety, to doubt, whether the use of so excellent a gift, may be lawful, just, honourable, or no; Otherwise, to what purpose was juda, that victorious Tribe of juda, epitomized in its Patriarch, compared to a Lion, the Hieroglyphic of all fortitude? But because 
k Gen. 49.9.  His hand was to be in the neck of his enemies? judah, as a lions whelp shalt thou come up from the spoil my son, he shall lie down, and couch as a Lion, and as a Lioness; who shall raise him up?  
To what purpose did 
l Deut. 33.20.  Moses compare Gad to a Lion, but because he should catch for his prey the arm with the head?  
Yea, to what purpose did 
m Num▪ 23 24.  Baalam in the spirit of prophesy, say of all the children of Israel, that they should rise up as a Lion, and lift themselves up as a young Lion? But because they should not lie down till they had eaten of the prey, and till they had drunk of the blood of the slain? Let me be bold to say with 
n De verb. Dom  St. Augustine, Militare non est delictum, sed propter praedam militare, peccatum est: Nec rempublicam gerere criminosum est, sed ideò agere, ut rem familiarem potius augeas, videtur esse damnabile: To go to war is no offence: but to do it for love of spoil and rapine, is a grievous sin. To bear office in the Commonweal, is no blemish: but to do it to the end to enrich a man's private coffers, is no less than damnable. For, as storms and tempests do naturally purge the air; but accidentally hurt the fruits of the earth: So is it in a just war, whose natural and intended effects are to 
o 1 Sam 30.  recover our own; 
p 1 Chron. 19  to revenge injuries: 
q Gen. 14.  to succour the distressed; 
r 2 Reg. 3.  to subdue rebels; 
s 2 Reg. 23.  to defend our own land; 
t Nehem. 4. De quibus omnibus consul Aug. lib. 83. quaest. super josueq 10.  to maintain true religion( for although there have been and are that question the propagation thereof by the sword, yet this was never doubted of, so it be undertaken by those who have ius belli) and last, to procure and establish peace: 

u Prudent. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  pax summa laborum,  
Pax belli exacti pretium, pretiumque pericli.  Peace is the price and sufficient recompense of all labour, wars and dangers. These I say are the natural effects of a just war: But that amongst soldiers 
x Nulla fides pietasque viris qui castra sequ●ntur. Lucan. lib. 10. pro Castra, quidam legunt Claustra, inquit Gaudent. Merul. Memorab. lib. 2. c. 25.  violence, cruelty, rapes, delight in blood, blasphemy, and profaneness, are so frequent and ordinary, that they are now thought proper unto the profession, it may seem vitium personarum non rei, the fault of the 
y Nocendi cupiditas, ulciscendi crudelitas, implacatus & implacabilis animus, feritas rebellandi, libido dominandi, & siqua sunt similia, haec sunt quae in bellis iure culpantur. Aug. cont. Faust. Manich. lib. 22. cap. 74.  persons, and not of that profession, than which I do not find any other more honoured in the whole book of God; at the least if you interpret it an honour, that he who in these later times hath been called Deus pacis the God of peace, did in the days of old call himself Dominus exercituum, the Lord of Hosts.  
And had it not been so, he would never have suffered his own spirit to have entitled himself, I'll maestro di guerra, The grand master of war, 
z Psal. 144.1.  Blessed be the Lord my strength( saith David) which teacheth my hands to fight and my fingers to battle.  
Had it not been so, the Scripture would never have called CHRIST, the 
a josh. 5.14.  Captain of the Lords army.  
It would never have called the angels soldiers: 
b job 25.3.  Nunquid est numerus militum suorum? Is there any number in his armies? and at the incarnation of our Saviour mustered them in a band of 
c Luc. 2.13.  heavenly soldiers.  
It would never have called the CHURCH a squadron of armed men, 
d Cant. 6.3.  Thou art beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, comely as jerusalem, terrible as an Army with banners.  
It would never have called a BISHOP a Soldier, 
e 2 Tim. 2.3. Videmur remissis & fluentibus ●unicis, fed habe●us militiae nostrae cingulum, quo castimoniae interiora constringuntur. Ang de verb. Dom ser. 19  Thou therefore suffer hardness, or evil( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) as a good soldier of jesus Christ.  
It would never have called a Christian a Soldier, 
f Eph. 6.11.  Put upon you therefore the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.  
Nay, it would never have called every man a soldier, 
g job 7.1. verse vulg.  Militia est vita hominis super terram, The life of a man upon earth is a warfare: For although as 
h Apud Hug. in Psal. 57  Augustine and Ruffinus affirm, similitudes in the book of God be sometimes drawn à rebus non amandis, from evil things, and applied unto those that are good, as from the unjust judge to God Luc. 18. yet 
i As Dominus exercituum, the Lord of Hosts.  Titles, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉( as Basil calls them) you shall never find ascribed either to holy men, or to the most Holy( if borrowed only) save from things in their own nature good, and approved.  
But what need we strive so much to express and wring juice from symbolical Divinity, which seldom concludes, when waters sufficient to quench our greatest thirst of knowledge, do so plenteously gush from the rock of the word? Or shall curiosity seek out another Doctor while it is in the chair? 
k Habes oracula Dei? ne moreris alium Doctorem; Nemo te docebit quemadmod●m illa. Chrysost. in Coloss. Hom. 9  There's none can teach us so truly, none more plainly. With how great evidence do the Scriptures prove that the husbandman so soon as he had chosen out a Vineyard, hedged it, making his care equally ancient, of fencing, and planting it? Are they not as exact,( though peradventure not so plenteous) in the affairs of the Army, as in the business of the Sanctuary?  
Will you see modum indicendi bellum, a prescript form of denouncing war?( A matter of much regard and ceremony amongst the ancient 
l De quo vide●● Dionis Halicarn. lib. 1. & Liu. lib. 1. & Agell. lib. 16. c. 14.  Romans:) see Deut. 20 10.  
Will you see delectum militum, the choice of soldiers? see Exod. 17.9.  
Will you see sacramentum militare, the oath of obedience from a Soldier to his Captain? see josh. 1.16, 17.  
Will you see Colonels, and Captains? look Num. 31.14.  
Will you see the sounding of an alarm? look Num. 10.5, 6.  
Will you see the order of a Camp, and how the Army is quartered? look Num. 2.  
Will you see a March, who have the Van, and who the Riere? look Num. 10.14. etc.  
Will you see a Council of war? look the same Chap. vers. 4.  
Will you see a City besieged? look josh. 6.  
Will you see a City relieved? look josh. 10.9.  
Will you see an Ambush laid? look josh. 8.9.  
Will you see a prey taken, and recovered? look 1 Sam. 30.  
Will you see the spoil divided? look Num. 31.27. But what should I stand wearying you with repetition of watches, spies, battles, skirmishes, defeats, supplies, stratagems, and six hundred things of like nature? whereunto the blessed spirit hath every where in Scripture given, not only approbation, but direction, assuming to himself the honour both of the command, and execution; 
m Psal. 18.34.  He teacheth my hands to fight, so that a bow of brass is broken with mine arms, saith David; yea, I weaken the loins of Kings, I open the door before him, and the gates shall not be shut, for I will break the brazen doors and burst the iron bars, saith jehovah of himself, Isay 45.1, 2.  
From all which, it easily results, that as by the law of nature it was permitted unto man and implanted in his heart, to oppose violence with violence, art with art, and cunning with cunning, ut fortis impiugat in fortem, 
n jer. 46.12.  that the strong might stumble against the strong, and the armed man against him that was armed: So in the statutes and ordinances which God gave by Moses for the reforming of the degenerate and counterfeit manners of his people, he confirmed unto them the lawfulness thereof, he ordered the circumstances, and professed himself General of all such wars as were made at his command. Nor did 
o Es. 9.6.  the Prince of peace, at his coming, abrogate this, as ceremonial, amongst those 
p Heb 9 10.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, carnal rites which were enjoined until the time of reformation, nor dishearten the practice thereof in his servants, as though it had been of the judicials, peculiar only( by way of command) to the than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Commonwealth of the jews, to us though not 
q Mortua sed non mortif. ra. Aq. 12 ae. q 104. art. 3. c.  deadly, yet dead, except quickened and revived by the higher powers, who have command of the sword. The contrary appears by that which the Baptist enjoins the soldiers, 
r evangelium non abolet ordines politicos, quales sunt publicanorum & militum, sed officia justitiae à singulis requirit. Errand igitur Anabaptistae, qui putant hominem Christianum non posse bona c●nscientia militare. Piscat. in loc.  Luc. 3.14. not to leave their profession, but to do violence to no man, nor accuse any falsely, and to be content with their wages. By that which Christ himself attests unto the Centurion, Mat. 8.10. who published his calling, and from thence drew an argument to strengthen his faith, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel. And by that which afterwards his 
s Act. 10.2.  Apostle writes of Cornelius the Captain of the Italian band, that he was A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house etc. which threefold argument, we are thus taught to enforce, by 
t Hom. in Mat. 8.  Chrysostome, 
u Lib. de corona militis c. 11.  Tertullian, 
x Ep. 5. ad Marcellinum.  Augustine, 
y Orat. in Gordium mart.  Basil, and( because 
z Ennius.  Hosten qui feriet mihi erit Carthaginiensis) 
a Tom. 1. lib. 3. de Laicis cap. 14, 15, 16.  Bellarmine, 
b Contr. Haereses v●rbo Bellum.  Alphonsus à Castro, and 
c Tom 3. disp. 3. q. 16. pun●. 1.  Gregory de Valentia.  
To all which doctrinals, I might add the practice of the primitive Church, in the age next after Christ, which was richly enamelled with the blood of infinite Martyrs of this profession, as Sebastian, Maurice Chrysogomus, Victor, Pantaleon, Gorgonius, and the whole legion of the Thebans, with many more, whose names and sufferings are every where obvious, and upon record in the Histories of the Church. But( me thinks) I have been already too profuse in this argument, especially to you, and such as know that howsoever the name of a Soldier, be at this time ridiculous among secure fools, and contemptible among such birds of peace, as cannot abide the Drum, saving in a Morris-dance, nor the Trumpet, but in Triumph; yet even in this generation, 

d Lucan. lib. 1.  Quae patitur longae pacis mala.  There is never a Paris, never a Carpet-Knight( howsoever he would think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a roaring friend less terrible, than the face of an armed foe) but with a greedy ambition, snatcheth at those honours, which were at first given to Soldiers, to them only, and still retain their Denomination and Titles from thence.  

e Of all these see Mr Selden in his titles of Honour.  A Dukedom was a military honour, given per vexilli traditionem, by the delivering of an ensign, banner, or penon into his hands, with intimation that he should be valiant, wise, and circumspect in the leading and command of the Soldiers, committed unto him for the defence of the borders and territories: so was a Marquisate, an Earldom, a Barony, together with the honour of being made Knights and Esquires, as their very names of Deuces, Equites, Armigeri, etc. do sufficiently prove, though now the sailing by that compass be much discredited, in respect of a newfound passage, a more compendious and less dangerous way lately discovered; but where Ajax his reproach of Ulysses, doth justly meet with most of the Passengers. 

f ovid. Met. lib. 13.  Postulat ut capiat quae non intelligit arma.  The more our misery that are fallen upon this effeminate age, and the greater injury to that honourable profession, which is not only scorned, but robbed. The time hath been, when War was accounted 
g Synes. Ep. 104.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, An exact trial of a brave spirit; but now that touchstone hath lost his property, for 
h Hose. 4.14.  cum Meretricibus conversantur, they keep company with Harlotts, and sacrifice( their dearest blood) to Whores; but populus non intelligens vapulabit: The people that doth not understand shall fall.  
The time hath been when a well ordered camp, was accounted a School of Virtue, where was professed and taught, preparation to death, continence, vigilance, obedience, hardness, and frugality both in meat and apparel: But now that 
i Hose. 4.11.  Whoredom, and Wine, and new-Wine have taken away our hearts; now that we have turned Memento mori, the meditation of death, into Vive hody, an Epicurean and sensual life: now that we are grown from absorbentes vinum, swallowing of Wine, to be 
k Es. 28.7.  Absorpti a vino, swallowed up of Wine: Surely now, the neglect of the Lessons, hath brought & wrought the contempt and disgrace of the School.  
The time hath been, when amongst ourselves, we have been so jealous of our honours, that the 
l je. Sarisburiensis nug. cur. li. 6 cap. 18.  Kentishmen would not have sold their prerogative of being in the Vanguard, nor they of Wiltshire, Cornwall, and Devonshire, of being in the Arriere-gard, at any reasonable price: But now he is accounted the wisest, that can keep himself furthest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of danger; and he the most valiant, that can take 
m 2. Reg. 14.10  jehoash his counsel to Amaziah, even to brag of Victory and tarry at home.  
Let it therefore suffice, and content us,( as it will do any man who dares for truth's sake, 
n Ne examenu● improbum in illa Castiges trutina. Pers. sat. 1.  stem the tide of the multitude) that howsoever these wanton and womanish times, undervalue the lawful, necessary, honourable profession of Arms, yet GOD himself hath graced it, our Saviour hath approved of it, the Apostles have commended it, the Saints have practised it, the Fathers have praised it, our Ancestors have gloried in it, our Land hath been renowned by it, and even those 
o Nahum. 3.17  crowned locusts, and captaine-Grashoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the Sun ariseth flee away, and their place is not known where they are, are glad, and proud to feed upon the leaves, and titles, knowing themselves unable and unworthy to reach the fruit and honour thereof. Only, let me be your Remembrancer, that whatsoever I have said of the lawfulness, necessity, and praise of war, is but so far forth true, as the war itself shall be just, whereunto there are these three material circumstances required. First, 
p Aquin. 2.2 ae. q. 40. art. 1. c.  ut recta sit intentio bellantium, that both stock and branch, Commander and private Soldier, do every one in their degree and order undertake it with a right intention, not that one war may draw on another, nor that blood m●y touch blood; but in the midst, of war, our intentions ought to be peaceable, contrary to them, who 
q Psal 55.21.  have peace in their mouths, and war in their hearts; for when we have war in our hands, we must have peace in our hearts, 
r Aug. ep. ad Bonifac.  ut eos quos expugnamus, ad pacis utilitatem vincendo perducamus, that by our victory we may invest them, whom we overcome, with the benefit of it.  
Secondly, to a just war there is required Authoritas Principis, the command of the Prince whosoever he be, that hath 
s Rom. 13.1.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that same transcendent power( which Ulpian calls imperium merum) of life and death: let him be a Pagan, an Haeretike, or a Tyrant, yet still( though not modus potestatis, the manner of the power) potestas est à Deo, the power is of God; and therefore saith 
t in Psal. 142.  Augustine of the soldiers of julian the Apostata, that though they would not sacrifice to Idols at his command, yet when he divided them into Companies, and placed them under Captains, and led them against the enemy, they most willingly and readily obeyed: The lawful command therefore of a lawful Magistrate is the second qualification of a just war, without which( by whomsoever undertaken) it is but a sedition, conspiracy, tumult, commotion, or a rebellion, and accordingly shall receive its judgement.  
Thirdly, there is requisite unto a just war, causa justa, a just cause of war: whereof having spoken somewhat already, I will add only this, that it doth not belong( notwithstanding) to every private man, to make too curious a disquisition into the causes and occasions of his Sovereign's command:( reasons of state and policy sometimes enjoining secrecy therein, and the breast of the Prince sometimes more sensible, than the heart of the subject is capable;) For if a just man( saith 
u Cont. Faust. man.. lib. 22. cap. 75. Si vir justus, sub Rege, homine etiam sacrilego, milite●, rectè potest, illo iub●nte bellare, civicae pacis ordinem servant; modò quod iubetur vel non sit contra Dei praeceptum, vel utrùm sit, certum non sit.  Augustine) do serve under a sacrilegious King, he may well and safely go to war at his command, and obey him in all civil affairs; provided, that what is by the Prince commanded, either be not against the commandment of God, or that he( the subject) know not whether it be or no,( that is, doubt it not, or call it not into question, for 
x Quid perdo, si credo, quia bonu● est, si incertum est utrum sit malus? Aug. in Ps. 147.  why should he stretch his suspicion beyond his knowledge?) Ita ut fortasse Regem reum faciat iniquitas imperandi, innocentem autem militem ostendat ordo seruiendi; so that it may be, the injustice of the command, may make the King guilty, and yet the soldiers obedience may plead him innocent. And thus far have I gone, ( I hope not out of the way) to show the lawfulness and necessity of war, because as all preparation to unlawful things is evil, so to unnecessary is unprofitable. And now we come to the preparation itself.  
The horse is prepared for the day of battle.  
So that the wisdom of man doth not only look after, equum, a horse, but equum paratum, a horse prepared or made ready, and that cannot be except they be ready horse: For take a horse out of the stud( so the Irish call those equos gregales which the ancient Grecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) of how generous and excellent a breed and stomach soever, yet it's known how fearful and timorous he is at first, 
y Tales Grae●i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellabant. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 timor.  afraid of every noise, and at every motion, starting aside like a broken bow: Afterward when he is in hand, & applied unto the manger,( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉), though he be a creature of wonderful docility, yet he is unruly, ticklish and proud. 
— 
z Virgil. Georg. 3.  Namque ante domandum  
Ingentes tollent animos, prensique negabunt  
Verbera lenta pati, & duris parere lupatis.  Nay when he hath admitted a rider, because he cannot shake off his carriage, still he leaps, and bounds, and kicks, 
a Psal. 32.9.  he hath no understanding, his mouth must be holden( chamo & fraeno) with bit and bridle lest he come near thee, and for a long time he continues 
b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut difficilis, qui ne tactum quidem aut ●●tillationem( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) pati queat. Si● appellat Xenoph. in lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  disobedient, unready, and unserviceable. But lastly, 

c Virg ubi supr.  Carpere cum gyrum incepit, gradibusque sonare  
Compositis, sinuatque alterna volumina crurum.  when he is grown gentle, willing, strong, useful, and ready, yet if he have not been accustomed, as the same Poet speaks 
— animos atque arma videre  
Bellantûm, lituosque pati, tractuque gementem   
Ferre rotam: to the Drum and Trumpet, to fire, smoke, dust, noise, shouts, cries, blows, the 
d Fulgor armorum.  lightning of the weapons, and the 
e job 39.25.  thunder of the Captains; surely, he may well be equus paratus, a ready horse, but not prepared against the day of battle: No there is still more difference between them two, than inter equum sagmarium, 

f Aurel. Olymp. lib. 2. Cyn●get.  Quemque coloratus Mazax deserta per arua  
Pavit, & assiduos docuit tolerare labores.  between a sumpter horse, and a horse of service; for 
g Es. 9.5.  every battle is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood: 
h jerem. 47.3 & 8.16.  There is rushing of charets, rumbling of wheels, snorting of horses, and neighing of strong ones; which if custom and use have not softened, sweetened, and made familiar unto a horse, 
i Zech. 12 4.  he will be strooken with amazement, and his rider with madness, and both together will flee as fast out of the battle, as the 
k 2 Reg. 7.6.  Syrians ran from their tents before Samaria at their supposed hearing a noise, of charets, horses, and a great Host.  
Only, when 
l jer. 46.4.  The buckler and shield is ordered, when men draw near to battle, when the horsemen get upon the harnessed horses, when they stand forth with their helmets, fourbish the spears, and put on the brigandine, so that the 
m jer. 50.42.  horses are put in array like men; then are they prepared against the day of battle: for then 
n job 39.21, 22. etc.  Their necks are clothed with thunder, and the glory of their nostrils is terrible: They paw in the valleys, and rejoice in their strength: They go on to meet the armed men; They mock at fear and are not affrighted, neither turn they back from the sword; The quiver rattleth against them, the glittering spear and the shield; They swallow the ground with fierceness and rage, neither believe they that it is the sound of the trumpet; They say among the trumpets, Ha, ha; They smell the battle a far of, and the noise of the Captains and the shouting.  
By this time me thinks, as S. Paul demanded of himself, 
o 1 Cor. 9.9.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Hath God any care of oxen? so there are some of you ready to ask of me, hath God so great care of horses? But I told you before, that under the name of horses was understood totus belli apparatus, all, and all manner provision of war; and so I hope their wisdom understandeth it, whom it especially concerneth to have a general and universal care thereof; for our parts, since God hath likened 
p joel 2.4.  strong men to horses; and wisdom compared 
q Wisd. 19.9.  good men to horses; and 
r Origen. in E●●. 15. hom. 6.  Origen hath affirmed, that all men are horses: Let it be lawful for me to say that Soldiers are a principal part, that yourselves are a great part of the Cavalry here spoken of, and consequently that unto you, there is commended a twofold preparation against the day of battle. The one is internal, to qualify the mind, the other is external, to enable the body; the one is valour and courage, the other is practise and exercise. Of these two, and no more to this point. But naming valour or fortitude, I first protest against all these equivocal intruders and usurpers upon that noble title, as uncapable( whilst so) of this qualification: namely the lusty, or rather lustful adulterers, that pretend to valour, because they can 
s jer. 5.8.  tanquam equus emissarius unusquisque hinnire ad uxorem proximi sui, neigh like fed horses, every man after his neighbours wife. Secondly, the Drunkards, that lay claim to it, because they can drink like horses, 
t Esa 5.22.  they are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink. Thirdly, the Thrasonical Bragger's, Qui virtutem verba putant, ut lucum ligna, that think by great words to brag themselves into an opinion of valour, but whom experience shall find to be 

u Nonnus in Dyonisiac. quo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notantur: sic autem reddidit Cunrad. Ri●tershus. in n●●. ad Phaed: fab. Extra bella lo, lepus in discrimine belli.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  as Lions in their roaring, so hares and not horses in the day of battle. Fourthly and lastly, all stabbing joabs, and puntilious duelists, qui occident virum in vulnus suum, & adolescentulum in livorem suum, that like 
x Gen. 4.25.  Lamech, will kill a man to their wounding, and a young man to their hurt, 
y Gen. 49.7.  Cursed be their wrath, for it is fierce, and their anger for it is cruel. But these, and those being cashiered, and the lift of the Army by this means reduced( with 
z Iud 7 7.  Gedeons') from two and thirty thousand, to three hundred; them that remain behind I let to know, that the valour required and expected at their hands, consists in 

1. Willingness to undergo danger for the public good.  
2. Constancy to bear it.  
3. Wisdom to manage and deport themselves therein.    
1. Willingness in undergoing, to exclude timidity; for inevitable danger makes Cowards bold, and despair of safety makes the fearful Hart hold the hounds at bay: But Qui sponte obtulistis de Israel animas vestras ad pericula, benedicite Domino, say 
a jud. 5.2.  Deborah and Barok, you that offered yourselves willingly for the avenging of Israel, praise you the Lord.  
2. Constancy in bearing it, to avoid a fastidious weariness, for as, Dulce bellum inexpertis, war is sweet to them that never tasted it; so there are many, that howsoever, in affectation of novelties, they run rather headlong than willingly into the danger thereof, yet when they have tasted the discommodities of hunger, cold, watchings, labours, and wounds; they suffer the terrors of war with a troubled mind; But he was wise that said, 
b Torm●nta a me abbess velim; sed fi sustinenda fueriut ut me in illis forti●èr, honestè animosè ger●m, optabo: Quid nî malim non incid●re in bellum? sed fi incido, & v●lnera & fame●, & omnia quae bellorum necessitas adfert, generosè feram, non optabo. Sen. Ep. 57  he would not rashly engage himself into any dangers: yet when they were necessarily to be undergone, he would wish to bear them, cheerfully, honestly, courageously: he would not desire war, but being priest by necessity, he would demean himself becomingly amidst hunger and wounds and all other companions thereof.  
Thirdly, Wisdom and judgement, how to demean themselves therein, to acquit them from temerity; for as a constant boldness doth erect and quicken wisdom and skill, so doth skill and wisdom direct and qualify that, as you may see in him, who was a better soldier than a Man, I mean joab: It was not possible for a man to express it better than he did in that strait and exigent, where the 
c 2. Sam. 10 9  Ammonites and Syrians charged him both in the front and the riere at once; when suddenly he divided his army, and gave a great part thereof into the hands of his brother Abishai, to encounter the Ammonites, and himself in the mean time gave on upon the Syrians; but with this direction to his brother, If( saith he) the Syrians be to strong for me, than thou shalt help me; and if the Children of Ammon be too strong for thee, I will come and help thee.  
Now, although this Wisdom and judgement in Martial affairs, be of the blood royal, yet like 
d 2. Sam. 4.4.  Mephibosheth it hath caught a fall, and is lame on its feet, unable to go further than it shall be carried by practice and experience, which is the outward preparation of a man against the day of battle. For as blood is the Chariot of the spirits, so is practise and exercise to this Triumphant valour the Throne where she sits and commands, and( where God is not pleased to use his royal prerogative to work without means or against means) like God himself 
e Wisd. 8 1.  Attingit a fine ad finem fortiter, & disponit omnia suaviter, she reacheth from one end to another mightily, and sweetly doth she order all things: And in this respect, you must call to mind what I speak to the letter of the Text, concerning a horse; and consider the relation inter fundamentum & terminum, between him, and what we here imply by him, a man, for this is the individuum wherein the similitude consists, this the point wherein the preparation of men is especially like the preparation of horses against the day of battle. For were men as strong as Hercules or Samson; as wise as Socrates or Solomon; as politic as Ulysses or Achitophel; as valiant as Achilles or David; as swift as 
f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Apollon Argonaut. lib. 1. Talem etiaem refert Calpurn Eclog. 4. qui,— Viridi sic exultavit in aruo, Tangeret ut fragiles sed non curuaret aristas.  Polyphemus or Asahel; yet if they were not trained up to the Discipline of war, though as the sand of the Sea in number, they would be but( as Demaratus the Lacedaemonian told 
g Apud Senec. de Benefic. lib. 6. ca 31.  Xerxes of his numerous or rather innumerable army) multitudo indigesta, & gravis, & metuenda ducenti, an indigested and disordered multitude and fearful indeed, rather to their leaders than their enemies: If they were not acquainted with words of command, In the greatest extremity, they would be like the builders of 
h Gen 11.6.  Babel, they would not understand one another's speech: If they were not familiar with the use of their Arms, they would say of them in the day of battle, as David said of Saul's armour when it was girt unto him, 
i 2. Sam. 17.39.  I cannot go with these, for I am not accustomed; and if they were not enured( though but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) to noise and clamour, to shouting and groans, to the roaring of the Artillery and the thunder of the smallshot, to the sight of wounds, and the apprehension of death in his most horrid shapes; The first man that fell by the hand of an enemy would, like the carcase of 
k 2. Sam 20.12.  Amasa, make the whole army stand still in their march, until he were removed out of the way: so great necessity is there of preparing both man and beast against the day of battle.  
This saw well the eye that seeth all things, who intending to make of his people a mighty Nation, terrible abroad and invincible at home,( 
l Non enim ex corporis imfirmitate, sed a peccato vincebantur, si quando victi fuiss●nt. Chrysost. hom. 14. ad p●p. Antioch.  saving when their sins sharpened the sword of his vengeance against them) did train them up, under Chiefetains of his own choice, from Brick-makers and labourers to Tyrones', and from thence to Soldiers, and from that to be men of such practice and experience, that every one of them was able to lead an Army, as it is said of those 
m 1. Chr. 12.38.  three hundred and two and twenty thousand which came up to Hebron to make David king over Israel.  
And this saw likewise they, that could see no further than nature and reason did enable them; the Romans, who being to oppose their fewness against the multitude of the French: their indifferent and mean statures, against the giantlike tallness of the Germans: their weakness, against the strength of the Spaniards, their poverty, against the riches of the Africans: and their plainness, against the policy of the Grecians: In all these difficulties had no other stratagem, nor hope of victory, than 
n Veget. lib. 1. cap. 1. ( Tyroronem solerter eligere, ius armorum docere, quotidiano exercitio roborare; quaecunque evenire in acie, atque in praelijs possunt, omnia in campestri meditatione praenoscere, severè in desides vindicare) to make exact choice of their Soldiers, to teach them the law of arms, to confirm them with daily exercise, to acquaint them in their drillings and trainings, with whatsoever things are wont to fall out in the battle, and to punish severely those whom they found backward, lazy, or negligent of their discipline. Which maketh me the less to wonder at the strange and almost incredible victories achieved by either of them, the jews driving out before them on every side, people that for their numbers were as the stars of heaven; for their strength were as Giants the sons of Anak; and for their fortifications, had Cities with walls as high as Heaven: and the Romans, in their period, growing from a few sheophard-like Cottagers to be Lords and proud owners of almost all the inhabitable World which was known unto them. For certainly, if( 
o justinian, in proem Institut.  leges & arma fraternizant) law's and arms be brothers, as an Emperor hath told us: their near alliance and equality( nam doctor & miles aequiperantur) consists not only in those four proportionals, which the Gloss upon that place points at; but especially in that, both in the one and the other, 
p Omnes arts in meditatione consistunt.  there is no excellence attained but by exercise; no perfection but by practice; which induceth me to believe,( neither without reason nor authority) that as the Israelites had Schools of Prophets at 
q 1. Sam. 19.18.19.20. etc.  Naioth in Ramah; So they had( somewhere) of Soldiers too, for Non exercebuntur ultrà ad praelium, saith 
r Esay 2.4 vulg.  Esay: They shall not be exercised any longer to the battle: & non discent ultrà belligerare, They shall not learn to make war any more saith 
s Micah. 4.13.  Micah: By which different translations of the same original phrase, we may at least, see this, that discere belligerare est exerceri ad praelium, to learn to make war, is to be exercised, or prepared against the day of battle.  
But supposing it uncertain of the jews; It cannot be denied of the Romans, whose Campus Martius was their Grammar School, and whose Camps were their Universities; In the one they were taught pugnare to fight; in the other bellare to make war: 
t Rosinus Antiq. Rom. lib. 6. ca 11. Et Veget. de re milit. lib 1. cap. 10.11.12. etc.  In the one they were brought up to run, to leap, 
u Caesim & punctim ferire ibid. Illud v●ro maius est quiddam, ordines servare discunt, v●xillū sun̄ in tantis permixtionibus, in ipsa prolusione c●mita●tur; nec inter doctos aliquis error existit, cum multitudinis sit tanta confusio.  to strike, to thrust, to defend, to shoot, to cast darts, to throw stones, to swim, Atque omnes implere numeros. But in the other they were instructed ad maius quiddam( as Veget tells us lib. 2. cap. 23.) somewhat further, namely to keep their ranks, to fight in array, and in the greatest tumult and confusion, not to forsake their Colours: there likewise( according to their deferts, and the vacancy of the places) they commenced and were preferred to be sergeant, Ensigns, Lieutenants, Captains, 
x 
Ad opes etc. dignitates ordo militiae, & Imperatoris judicium consuevit evehere. Veget. lib. 2. c. 24. & Lucanus lib. 6. de Scaeva Centurion.  
Scaeva viro nomen, castrorum in plebe merebat. Ante feras Rhodani gentes; ibi sanguine multo Promotus, lattam longo gerit ordine vilem.   or what other offices and places of Command in their discipline were suitable and correspondent to these. And when they were thus acquainted with terms of Command; when they were thus enured to hardness, by watchings, spare diet, and sleeping( according to the French proverb) à l'enseigne de l'estoille, at the sign of the star; when they were thus accustomed to the use of their weapons both defensive and offensive; then did they hold themselves more assured with a few, than with infinite millions of such as either had never seen, or never learned any thing,( 
y Sen. ep. 36.  elementares senes, Abecedary old men,( for 
z Post quanta volveris stipendia inexercitatus miles semper est Tyro. Veget. lib. 2. c. 23. Immò pro Tyronibus etiam habiti qui diu in pace durarunt, quique pugnare longo tempore desierunt. Idem lib. 3. c. 9 tum ij quoque qui homines nunquam viderunt vulnevari aut occidi. ibid. cap. 10.  It is not time but exercise makes a soldier) whose greatest numbers have always been noted to be rather exposed to slaughter, by disbanding and breaking their array, than confident of victory by preserving inviolable that discipline, which they never learned, or at least had not practised. This Pompey( though by the testimony of his enemy, one that knew better how to overcome, than how to use the victory) found too true by experience, in the battle of Pharsalia, where, though he had double the numbers of Caesar 
— 
a Lucan. lib 7.  primo gentes oriente coactae,  
Innumeraeque urbes, quantas in praelia nunquam  
Excivere manus: toto simul utimur orb:  
Quicquid signiferi comprensum limit Cycli  
Sub noton, & Borean hominum sumus, arma movemus.  yet knowing them to be not legionary soldiers, as Caesar's were, but a mixture of barbarous nations, rather relying upon their multitude than their discipline and valour; he wisely purposed to protract the war, and by robbing his enemies both of sea and land to have wrested from them an unbloody victory; but when he saw it no longer possible to withhold the untaught rage of inexperienced men, from giving battle to Caesar— stat cord gelato Attonitus;— his heart forsook him with fear and amazement, knowing upon how unaequall terms they met: and praesaging, that( which accordingly ensued) they who were so hasty to fight, would be as headlong in their flight, so losing themselves, and discouraging others. And indeed, what could a man expect at their hands, who howsoever rich in clothes, yet base and effaeminate in spirit, are not able to 
b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? Lu●i●n. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  sustain thirst, and heat, and dust, trembles to hear of an enemy, are amazed at his presence, swoon at the sight of blood, and die before they come within the reach of their Artillery?  
How much better that 
c Militiae art●fex. Flor. lib. 1. cap. 18.  Master of war, Tullus Hostilius? who to set an edge upon Courage, that it might cut even whetstones, did ordain( which was with much ear and jealousy observed, during the flourishing estate of that Republic) that not only there should be a general survey of all the foot and horse once in a year, 
d Liu. Decad. 1. lib. 9  at what time they should be transported beyond Tiber, and there mustered; 
e Polyb. lib. 10.  but that at home and abroad, in the City, and in hibernis & castris, in their garrisons and camps, they should be daily exercised, as well, viritim, man by man, as in acie, in array of battle; knowing that 
f Veget. lib. 1. c. 1.  scientia rei bellicae dimicandi nutrit audaciam; Nemo facere metuit, quod se benè didicisse confidit, knowledge how to do, adds to the boldness and willingness of doing, and by familiarity with danger, the fear of it, at length grows obsolete: whereas on the contrary side, 
g Cassiodor. lib. 1. variar. c. 40.  Animos subitò ad arma non erigunt, nisi qui se ad ipsa idoneos, praemissa exercitatione confidunt, there's no man can with cheerfulness and alacrity undertake that, whereunto he knows himself unfit, for want of skill and practise.  
I have, in mine own intentions, confined myself, for foreign instances, within the history of the Romans, or else I should with much difficulty forbear, to give the ancient Grecians their due commendations in this respect; especially the 
h Plutarch. in vita Lyc●rgi.  Lacedæmonians, whose very Children from seven years old and upward, were distributed under such as were in stead of Captains, commanding and instructing them; wherein they took so great pride and glory, that 
i Tusculan. 5. ●  Tully reports with wonder, what he had there seen amongst them; Adolescentium greges Lacedaemone vidimus. Ipsi incredibili contentione certabant pugnis, calcibus, unguibus, morsu denique, ut exanimarentur priusquam se victos faterentur. We saw( saith he) in Lacedaemon, troops of young men, who with incredible fierceness, fought with fists, heels, nails, nay with their teeth; in so much that they had rather die than confess themselves vanquished: And certainly where such sparks were in boys, we must needs suppose bright flames in men of more ripe age.  
But I dare, as now, wade no further in this argument, lest I should be cut of, as he that had made a long oration in the praise of Hercules, with a Quis unquam vituperavit? who ever dispraised him? I may not flatter; although this City, this honourable City,( who, in this respect, I hope, will prove to all her sisters of this Empire, as jason to his fellows, of whom the 
k Apollon. Argonaut. lib. 1. ver. 363.  Poet: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  As soon as he had spoken and counseled, he was the first that put it in execution, and other were moved and swayed by his example:) have in a short time brought forth( not without labour and travail) two so like nurseries of that noble profession, as that of the Artillery garden, and this of the Military yard; yet certainly, the building of these walls doth not want a 
l Nehem 4.  Sanballat to malign it, a Tobiah to mock at it: The one suggesting, that this warlike humour is an incentive to Rebellion; The other insulting over it, with a Cui bono, to what purpose? But for the first, it seems they never read that of Cassiodore, 
m Cassiodor. lib. 5. ep. 3.  Viri fortes semper in pace modesti sunt, & justitiam nimis diligunt qui arma frequenter tractârunt: The more eminent valour that is in a man, the greater modesty in time of peace; and they are the most zealous lovers of justice, that have been most frequent in dangers: And for the latter, though I might answer with Thucydides, that Praestat se ex vano metu & rumore, adversus pericula praeparare, quam ex nimia securitate & hostium contemptu imparatum ab iis opprimi; It is better out of a vain fear, and idle rumour, to be prepared against dangers, than out of too great security and contempt of an enemy, to be by him overtaken unawares: yet me thinks, in this rotten and decrepit age, I cannot truly confess any fear to be vain, or any caution too much, the spirit having spoken evidently, that in these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, perilous times, men shall be 
n 2 Tim. 3.3.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, truce-breakers, and traitors, 
o Psal. 55.20.  that lay their hands upon such as be at peace with them, and break their covenants.  
Were it half eighty eight years, sithence the year eighty eight, that we might the more easily forget those sudden attempts: Or were there none of his line left alive, that durst say, 
p Maximilian Duke of Ostrich.  he treated of agreement with Lewis the twelfth, K. of France, only to be revenged of the seventeen injuries he had received of the French, whereas indeed they had done him no wrong at all: Or were it not known among the Turks, that there is such a place as England, accessible with ships and galleys, the Diamond of the world, and worth, oh how many Rhodes and Malta'es! Or had we not amongst us men, 
q Gil●as.  aetatis atramentum, the ink of the times, baptised jews( as Bernard speaks) whose bodies are with us, and their hearts many hundred leagues hence: Or had we never heard of a Sicilian vespro, or a Parisian massacre: Or were we assured that the Romish Catholics amongst us, who take the oath of Allegiance, mean as they say; or that such as refuse it, meant not more than they say: Were all these things so, certainly our peace might be the more secure, and our security less blameworthy than it is: And yet all this notwithstanding, 
r Esa. 59.1.  The arm of the Lord is not shortened, but that, as he could raise up children to Abraham, out of stones; so he can stir us up enemies from among our friends, for Ego Dominus faciens pacem, & creans malum, saith he, Esa. 45.7. I am the Lord that make peace and create war: and therefore as he could 
s Esa. 46.11.  whistle for a bird out of the East, so he can call a Beast out of any other coast, that shall make all the forest tremble: Whereunto there shall need the less allectives, and inducements, because Riches without means to defend them, are of themselves invitations to spoil; and therefore where Solomon mentions the riches of his bed, 
t Cant. 3.10.  whose pillars were of silver, the bottom gold, and the hangings purple; there he also specifies a guard of threescore strong men, that were about it, of the valiant men of Israel, they all handle the sword, and are expert in war, every one hath his sword upon his thigh, for the fear by night. For when 
u 2 Reg. 20.13.  Merodach Baladan the King of Babel his Ambassadors, had seen Hezekiah his treasures of silver, and gold, and spices, and precious ointments,( notwithstanding they were shown his armoury and provision for war as well as these, yet) their hearts were so fired with the desire of them, and their fingers did so itch at them, that within less than an hundred years after, all that mass of treasure and riches, together with all his people, were( according to the word of the LORD) carried by 
x Ipsaque furem praeda vocat. ovid. and according to the Spanish proverb, Puerta abie●●a all santo tienta.  Nabuchadnezzar unto Babel.  
It concerns us then, upon whom the Lord hath so showered down temporal blessings, that I may truly say of the jews and Englishmen,( as one of Demosthenes & Tully; Cicero effecit, ne Demosthenes esset solus orator, Demosthenes ne Cicero primus foret) that they were the cause we could not be the first people, whom God did so extraordinarily favour; but we are the cause, that they cannot boast, to be the only people interested in his love: It concerns us, I say, to look upon our own happiness with a careful and jealous eye, which so many behold with envious eyes; not to suffer upon our foreheads a brand, of men 
y A transcurrente subacti. Lucan. lib. 7.  nullo negotio vincibilium, that 
z Nah. 3.12.  are like figtrees with the first ripe fruit; if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.  
They that are in public places of trust, have a more public charge, and a greater charge of the public laid upon them 
a Leo ser. 1. in Anniversar. A.  Det virtutem, qui contulit dignitatem, may he that gave them the dignity endue them with ability to perform it: But you, beloved, who to this purpose bring every man his own self, and that Willingly, fitting, & offering yourselves to stand in the gap when need shall require, and like those 300. Laconians that made Xerxes his Army of 300000. make a stand, to stop the Cataclysme and inundation of war whensoever it shall happen; Good luck have you with your honour, 
b Num. 24 8.  you shall eat the Nations which are your foes, you shall bruise their bones and shoot them through with your arrows, you shall never be ashamed when you speak with your enemies in the gate for, 
c Aug. lib. contra qui●que haereses.  Donabit certanti victoriam, qui certandi dedit audaciam, he shall give victory to you when you fight, that first taught your fingers to fight and your hands to make war.  
Thus we have seen, and stood a while upon the highest step, that in this respect, Man's wisdom is able to climb unto, namely to prepare the horse against the day of battle, beyond this we cannot go; yet we may lift our eyes to the hill of Zion, and there as our weak sight shall be enabled, look upon that 
d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Dionis. de mystis Theol cap. 1.  overbright darkness of his supreme and transcendent power, the prerogative which he will not communicate to any creature, in disposing of victory according to his own pleasure with means, without means, against means, which is the second point observable in this Scripture.  
But safety( or victory) is of the Lord.  
Which truth was never more frequently and freely acknowledged by any man than by David, one that had the 
f 2. Sam. 17.10.  heart of a Lion, one that had 
g 2. Sam. 8.13.  gotten him a name in war, whose happy valour was grown into a Proverb, Saul hath slain his thousand, and David his ten thousand, yet 
h Psal. 44.  in God will I boast( saith he) all the day long, and praise thy name for ever, I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me, but thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us; And still in every victory this was his song of triumph, 
i Psal. 115.1.  Non nobis, Domine, non nobis; Not unto us Lord, not unto us; but to thy name give the glory, for 
k Psal. 124.2.  If thou hadst not been on our side, when men rose up against us, they had swallowed us up quick; Our shields, our swords, our spears, our bows, our men, our horses, had all been prepared in vain against the day of battle, except thou hadst gone forth with our armies, brought us into the strong Cities, and lead us into Edom. So much is likewise confessed by Moses in that song of thanksgiving, made for the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians, Exod 15. and epitomized as it were in the third verse, The Lord is a man of war, jehovah is his name. The same song sang joshua his successor, by way of prophecy, josh. 23.10. One man of you shall chase a thousand for the Lord your God fighteth for you; and by way of history, in the Chap. following at the 11. verse; And the men of jericho fought against you, the Amorites, the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and Girgashites, the Hiuites, and the jebusites, and I( saith the Lord) delivered them into your hands: all which acknowledgements, though differing in words, yet naturally resolve themselves into this proposition that safety( or victory) is from the Lord, I shall not need to use many words in this matter; None but a Goliath, a Sennacharib, a Nabuchadnezzar, or Holofernes, will assume to themselves, and their own arm the success of war; whether victory or discomfiture; But if 
l Exod. 17.11.  Israel prevailed when Moses( who was but a servant in the house) held up his hands, and when he let them down Amalek prevailed; much more( will the Saints sing loud upon their beds) 
m 1 Chr. 29.11  Thine, O Lord, is greatness, and power, and glory, and victory, and praise, and on the other side, 
n Psal. 44.10.  Thou makest us turn back from the Adversary, and they which hate us, spoil for themselves. Nor is this only to be understood, in cases where numbers to numbers, and preparation is opposed to preparation, as though it were then only in his power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who should be found too light in the balance, when resolution meets with resolution, skill with skill, and strength with strength, 
— 
o Lucan. lib. 1.  Infestisque obuia signis  
Signa, pares aquilas, & pila minantia pilis.  No, with God, non est distantia there is no difference, 
p 2. Chron. 14.11.  It is as easy with him, to help with few, as with many; If he hold up his hand, Gedeons' three hundred shall be enough for the 
q judg. 7.  Midianites and Amalekites that are in multitude as the grasshoppers; Nay 
r 2. Sam. 14.  jonathan and his Armorbearer shall be too many for the whole Garrison of the Philistims: If he let it fall, then 
s 2. Chron. 24.24.  Permodicus numerus Syrorum, Though there came but a small company of the Aramites, yet the Lord will deliver a mighty army of the Israelites into their hands; Thus safety, ( wheresoever and to whomsoever, and upon what odds so ever) is from the Lord; and from him only, you see it confirmed, testimonio & oris & operis, both by the testimony of his word and his work.  
And certainly, if the men of this generation shall think his power less, or less able to praevaile against Babel, because of the building her a Tower▪ Against the Anakim, because of their walled towns: against Goliath, because of his Helmet and Brigandine of brass: or against jerusalem itself, because of her bulwarks: I'll say no more, but as our Saviour to the 
s Mat. 12.41.  jews, so tell I them, the men of Niniveh shall rise in judgement against them, and condemn them: for Niniveh hath God set forth as an example of his unresistible power, how weak the arm of flesh and blood, how foolish the policy of man, and how vain the help of Princes is in comparison thereof. Take the example into your consideration. Niniveh was, at that time, the seat of the Empire of Assyria; and 
t Esa. 10.  Ashur the staff in the hands of the Lord, the rod of his wrath, to correct his people of Israel withal; The rod lifts itself against him that taketh it up, and the staff exalteth itself as if it were no wood; By the power of mine own hands have I done this, and by mine own wisdom because I am wise; Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus? saith this( flagellum Dei,) this scourge of God, whom the Lord had appointed to be as whips on Israel's sides, and as thorns in her eyes: Hereupon, the Almighty,( who cannot abide that a judge should commit murder in doing justice, nor that a man should persecute him whom He had smitten, or add to his sorrows whom He had wounded, 
Qui fruitur poena, ferus est, legumque videtur  
Vindictam praestare sibi.)  determines as soon as he hath accomplished his work upon Mount Zion and jerusalem, to visit the King of Ashur himself, and his proud looks; to take his rod, and cast it into the fire. Yet before this come to pass, before the Lord open the gates, & the Chaldaeans bring war & destruction like a tempestuous whirlwind upon Ninive; he graciously vouchsafeth to send faecialem a herehault, his prophet Nahum, who in his words and name, to the comfort of his afflicted people, and the terror of the Israelitomastiges, rattles such an alarm in their ears, as never any Prophet did, in so warlike terms, unto any people. And that you may see, how the LORD will have safety attributed unto himself; and how his power derides the opposition of man's strength, observe how particularly, and precisely, he answers every objection, and looseth every knot, that hope herself, the last company of affliction, could devise to knit: to which purpose, as 
u judg. 9.8.  jotham in his parable, supposeth trees to speak, so imagine, that you hear HOPE, and TRUTH thus Dialoguewise discoursing.  
Surely( saith HOPE) Niniveh shall not be destroyed, for it is 
x jonah 1.2.  a great City, GOD himself hath taken knowledge of it, and honoured it with that attribute.  
Yea but( saith TRUTH) The Lord hath given a commandment concerning her, that no more of her name be sown. Nahum. 1.14.  HOPE. 
But God once spared this populous City, wherein there are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between the right hand and the left.  TRUTH. 
The Lord indeed is slow to anger, but great in power, and will not surely clear the wicked. Cap. 1. ver. 3.  HOPE. 
We hear no rumours of war, we are at rest, and have peace with the Nations round about us.  TRUTH. 
Though they be quiet, and also many, yet thus shall they be cut off, when he shall pass by. Cap. 1.12.  HOPE. 
But if there be no remedy, let us not be beaten at home, stop the passages, man the frontiers, keep the munition, watch the ways, let us make our loins strong, and fortify our powers mightily. Cap. 2. ver. 1.  TRUTH. 
Yea, but The shields of the mighty men( that come against thee) are made red; Their charets shall rage in the streets, they shall run to and fro in the high ways, they shall shoot like the lightning. Cap. 2. v. 4.  HOPE. 
But Niniveh is of old like a pool of water, the river Tigris is in stead of moats, ditches, trenches to her walls; and beside, she will remember her strong men. cap. 2.8.  TRUTH. 
But, the gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall melt; they shall flee away, stand, stand, shall they cry, but none shall look back. cap. 2.8.  HOPE. 
But, Niniveh hath multiplied her merchants as the stars of heaven, there is no end of the store and glory of all her pleasant furniture, and therefore she can hire succours from foreign countries.  TRUTH. 
Yea, but The Chaldaeans shall take the spoil of the silver and gold, c. 2. v. 9 and for other Nations, they shall be so far from helping her, that all they that look upon her, shall fly from her, and say, Niniveh is laid waste, who will bemoan her? cap. 3. ver. 7.  HOPE. 
But Niniveh is the seat of the Empire, she can command to her aid, many Countries, Provinces and Cities, that are under her dominion.  TRUTH. 
Yea but Is she better than No that was full of people, and was situate among the rivers? Aethiopia and Egypt was her strength, and it was infinite, Put and Lubin were her helpers, yet she was carried away, and went into captivity. c. 3. v. 9  HOPE. 
But Niniveh hath store of munition, and is victualled for many years.  TRUTH. 
ay, I, draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds, go into the clay, and tread the mortar, make strong the brick-kiln, yet there the fire shall devour thee, and the sword cut thee off. c. 3. v. 14, 15.  HOPE. 
But Niniveh hath her walls an hundred foot high, so broad, that three carts may go on a row at the top of them, furnished and fortified with fifteen hundred bulwarks and towers.  TRUTH. 
Yet all her strong holds are but like figtrees with the first ripe figs, if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater. cap. 3. vers. 12.  HOPE. 
But Niniveh hath in her the flower of the Princes, the chief of the Nobility, and the greatest Captains and Commanders in the Empire.  TRUTH. 
Alas, Her crowned are as the Locusts, and her Captains are as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the Sun ariseth, they fly away, and the place is not known where they are. cap. 13. ver. 17.  HOPE. 
But Niniveh is full of ancient, experienced, brave Soldiers, such as have been accustomed but to come and conquer.  TRUTH. 
Yea but peace and plenty hath made them wanton, effaeminate, base, drunken, cowardlike Carpet-Knights: Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women, cap. 3. v. 13. Thy people, those that have been so renowned in Arms, those that have achieved such victories, those that have made such conquests: Thy people, those that have been the terror of the world, able to affront Babylon, and to give her checke-mate in the height of her pride; Those thy people, thy strong, martial, honoured, feared people; In the midst of thee, not thy pondus in utile, thy dregs and offscouring; not thy paisants and husbandmen, not thy Artisans and Mecaniques; not they that are far remote from the safety of thy walls and turrets; not they that dwell in thy skirts and suburbs, but thy people in the midst of thee, in the place of greatest eminence, security, and defence, Are women, proud as women, foolish and void of counsel as women, fantastical and newfangled as women, delicate and tender as women, fearful and cowardlike as women, nice and effaeminate as women, 
y Deut. 28.36.  which never will venture to set the sole of their foot upon the ground for their softness and tenderness, the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, much pain is in the loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness. Nahum. 2.10.  
We now come to ourselves again, and demand, whether after the light of so great evidence, reflected upon us from the glass of this example, there can any man be so stupid as to doubt, so impious as to deny, that all power to work with means, without means, against means, belongeth to the Lord of Hosts? who hath done, doth, and will do whatsoever he listeth, in heaven, on earth, in the sea and all deep places: And therefore as the Elders in the 
z Revel. 4.10.  Revelation, throw down their crowns before the throne; so cast down your arms, o ye mighty, your swords and shields, o ye valiant men of war, before his footstool; hang them up as trophies in his Temple with this inscription, 
a Psal. 60.12.  Through God we will do valiantly, for he shall tread down our enemies under our feet: But if he be not our help in the day of battle, what can these advantage us, for victory over enemies, as safety from enemies is of the Lord.  
But it may be, that as a Philosopher dissuading the too much fear of death, made men preposterously to cast away their lives: and Physicians sometimes seeking to comfort the heart, do inflame the liver; so we by fastening our eyes thus long upon the transcendent and imperial power of God, have lost all sight of the necessity of means, or second causes; and 
b 
Illud idem, de praescientia futurorum quidam, sed rectius.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Scire si liceret, quae debes subire  
Et non subire; pulchrum sit scire.  
Sed si subire oportet, quae licet scire,  
Quorsum scire? nam debes subire Antholog.  
Which I thus Englished at the request of Master Doctor G.  
If man might know th'ill he must undergo,  
And sh●●nne it so; than it were good to know.  
But if he undergo it, though he know it,  
What boots him know it? he must undergo it.   begin to persuade ourselves, that seeing it is all one with God,( as we have heard) to help with many, or with few, to give victory to men armed, or naked, to save with sword and shield, or without them, therefore all preparation against the day of battle, all provision, munition, numbers, experience and practise, are either needless or bootless; If the Lord will help, he can do it without these, and then they are needless; or if he will strike, there is neither security, nor succour in any of these; and then they are bootless.  
For answer whereunto we are to consider, that albeit the absolute power of God be infinite, a matter( much rather than a Kings royal prerogative) not to be quaestioned, nor disputed of, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith 
c Damasc. lib. 1. cap. 2.  Damascene, things incomprehensible, are likewise unspeakable, and 
d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Basil. de Spir. Sanct. c. 18. Similiter Naz. de Fil. orat. 1.  to be honoured with silence; yet his actual or ordinary power is limited, and, as it were, circumscribed by his will; so that as the first can do no more than he will; so this doth whatsoever he will, and therefore voluntas eius est potest as eius, saith 
e in Luc. 5.  Ambrose, His will is his power; Now he being pleased to reveal thus much unto us in Scripture, that it is his will ordinarily to work by ordinary means, and secondary causes, 
f Ose 2.15.  himself to hear the heavens, the heavens to hear the earth, the earth to hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they to hear Israel, certainly they that shall reason from his posse to his velle, from his power to his will, are like those deceitful, or unlearned Physicians, who as 
g Aug. de bono persever. cap. 21.  Augustine saith, do so apply utile medicamentum, a plaster wholesome in itself, ut aut non prosit, aut obsit, that it shall either do no good, or a great deal of harm; for with as much probability, might we omit both ploughing and sowing, and expect Manna from heaven, because the LORD once fed the Israelites with it; or abstain from food, because Moses fasted forty days; or gape till the Ravens feed us, because they once did so to Elias; or wait till an Ass counsel us, because Balaams' Ass advised his master; as expect that the Lord should give us victory, with sounding of Rams horns, or breaking of pitchers, that is to stand still only, and behold what the Lord will do for us: Miracles were they; and miraculous would this be, and therefore 
h Conuenit nunc quarere quemadmodum Deus ●nstituit naturasrerum, non quid in eyes ad miraculum suae potentiae velit operari. Aug. lib. 2. super Gen. c. 1.  not to be looked for but in cases of necessity; our Saviour himself when he was to ascend into heaven, having chosen Mount Olivet for the place, from whence, that( as one saith) Quamdiu naturae vis inseruire potuit, miraculo non uteretur, wherein the power of nature could help him, he might not work a miracle: Nor is this any disparagement to his might, whom we acknowledge to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solely sufficient by his immediate word to govern all things, as well as he was to create them; but rather an honour to himself, and to his creatures; to himself, for beating out the golden ingot of his providence, into so admirable a chain of causes, perplexed, folded, and linked one within another: And to his Creatures in 
i Dignationis enim est, non necessitatis.  deigning them to be Co-workers with him, that as he is the principal agent, so they may have employment under him, wherewith to busy themselves, that they fall not upon that just reprehension, Quid statis hic totum diem otiosi, why stand ye here all the day idle? It rests then, that( as 
k Hieron cont. Lucifer.  Hierom speaks truly, though to another point), Singulorum privilegia legem efficere non possunt, the privileges of singular and special persons, make no common rule for all men in general: What God hath been pleased to do at sometimes, and what he is able to do at all times, we may look upon for our comfort, but not rely upon for our encouragement to neglect the ordinary means. For within these limits have they walked, to whom the secret of the Lord hath been revealed, and whose feet have been guided the right way, by the lantern of his word.  
jacob had God's promise, for the superiority over his brother Esau; and David was abundantly secured of God's protection from Saul, and all his other enemies; yet for all that, they were content to use the best means they could, watching all opportunities, redeeming all occasions, sometimes flying, sometimes entreating, sometimes buying their peace, though always assured, that safety is from the Lord, and by particular promises fully persuaded, that he would deliver their souls from death, and their darlings from the power of the lion. 
l Act 27.  Paul's voyage by sea, is known even to the Barbarians, so is his danger, and the special revelation he had for the deliverance of himself and all his company: And what then? did that make the Mariners neglect to 
m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. v. 28.  sound, to 
n v. 29.  cast anchors, to 
o v. 38.  lighten the ship, to 
p v. 40.  weigh anchors, to 
q v. 40.  hoist sails, nay such as could, to swim first to land, and such as could not swim, to save themselves on boards and other pieces of the ship? No; for he knew, that 
r Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. 16. c. 19  si periculum quantum cavere possumus non cavemus, magis tentamus Deum, quam speramus in Deo, if we labour not to avoid danger and peril, as much as we can, in how deplored and desperate cases soever, we rather tempt God indeed, than trust in God. But above all, we have an evident and an eminent example hereof, in her whom all generations shall call blessed, the Virgin-mother of our Saviour, who though she had laid up in her heart, all the sayings, of the Angel at the Annunciation, of Elizabeth at her visitation, of Simeon and Annah at her purification; yet when the Angel of the LORD appeared unto joseph in a dream, and bade him take that sweet babe, and his blessed mother, and flee into Egypt, because Herod sought the Child to destroy it: did she reason against her husband's resolution, and plead Gods eternal decree, or her( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) full persuasion, and assured belief thereof against his purpose? Nothing less: She thought not herself wiser than God in his commanding, than her husband in his obedience: She was not like the 
s judg. 19.28.  Levites wife that answered not; nor like 
t Gen. 19.16.  Lot's wife that departed unwillingly▪ but as 
u Ruth. 1.16.  Ruth to Naomi her mother in law, so answered her heart to joseph, I will not leave thee nor depart from thee, but whither thou goest, I will go, I know the LORD, certain and firm, in the end and accomplishment of his promise; I know not the means, by which he hath determined to effect it, and therefore, Surge, eamus, Arise, let us go hence.  
Thus all the servants of God, have one of their eyes fastened upon 
x Ezech. 1. & 10.  Ezechiel his Cherubims, and the other upon his wheels: their hearts are reposed upon God's mercy; but their hands are stretched out unto all that they shall find to do; when Hezekiah is sick, 
y 2 Reg. 20.7.  though the Prophet Isaiah be sent unto him with a promise of recovery, yet he must take a lump of dry figs, and lay it upon the sore, and therefore means must be used; But though the watchman stand upon the walls, yet 
z Psal. 127.1.  except the Lord keep the City, he watcheth but in vain, and therefore secondary causes only must not be relied upon, nor ᵃ sacrifice offered unto our nets, nor incense burnt unto our yarn: The horse is prepared against the day of battle, there( as I said at the first) is man's providence, but safety is of the Lord, there is his power and prerogative. 
b Mat. 17.21.  Give unto Caesar, that which is Caesar's, and to God that which is Gods.  
It was the Spartan resolution, admota manu fortunam invocare, 
c 
alitur vitium vivitque legendo. Dum medicas adhibere manus ad vulnera pastor  
Abnegat, & meliora Deos sedet omnia poscens. Virg. Georg. 3.   to do their best, and then to ask help from fortune; we have a more sure word, whereunto you shall do well to take heed, as to a light shining in dark places, namely that according to joabs counsel to his brother Abishai, 
d 2 Sam. 10.12.  We be strong and valiant for our people, and for the Cities of our God, and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes: and as the builders of jerusalem 
e Neh. 4.17.  did the work with one hand, and held the sword with the other; so let one of our hands be lifted up against our enemies, and the other unto our God: 
— precibusque 
f Sciens, volens, ad me detorsi: scripsit ●n●m minas, ovid.  manus iam fortiter add.  that words and blows, and hands and hearts, be severally employed about their proper business; for as it is true on the one side, 
g Amos 4.7.  partem super quam non pluit Dominus arescere, that the piece which is not reigned upon doth parch and wither away; so on the other side, what 
h Plut. in lib. Maximè cum princip. viris philosopho esse disputand.  Plutarch spoke of Philosophy, is much more true of the Almighty, that he hath not, like a statuary, made men simulacra in sua perpetuò haerentia basi, images cleaving and perpetually growing to their basis and foundation, but active, judicious, full of counsel, invention, and greatness of mind, and most ready to execute whatsoever they shall be, by them, spurred and provoked unto; running sometimes into those dangers and troubles, 
i Es. 47.11.  quorum ortum nesciverunt, whose original or cause they do not understand; but most an end, like Samson, pulling upon their own heads, ruin and destruction, either through contempt, or neglect of the means, which if maturely applied, might have been antidotes and defensatives against those poisons. For conclusion of this point, 
k judge 7.20.  The sword of the Lord, and of Gedeon, of the one as concha the fountain and original; of the other, as canalis the stream and conduit of safety and victory, let be the meditation, the cry, the confidence, of all those, who are, or shall be like horses prepared against the day of battle.  
I would I might here make an end, that after so calm and serene a day, my sun might not set in a cloud; but as our Saviour says, 
l Luc. 19.40.  If these should hold their tongues, the stones would cry; So it being the property of light 
m joh. 3.20.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to reprove darkness: Although I should be silent, yet your forwardness, & willing offering yourselves, would accuse and convince others, whom it concerns as much, or more, than you, of a kind of nameless sloth or improvidence, which hath insensibly emasculated & softened their hearts, making them less careful to prevent, less able to resist, whensoever nation shall rise against nation, or kingdom against kingdom.  
It hath been said of old, Many a good father hath had an evil son; I am sure that we have seen three of the best mothers, peace, prosperity, and plenty, bring forth such monstrous and abhorred issues, as we have just cause to wish, 
n job 3.16.  the knees had never prevented, but that they had been hid as untimely births, or as infants which have not seen the light: Peace hath brought forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, injustice: Prosperity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, impiety: and Plenty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, effaeminate wantonness: All we say, is that It is pity fair weather should ever do harm, yet we feel ourselves thereby melted into pleasure, and the sinews of our strength dissolved by little and little; every private man's vices spreading the infection; so that it may justly be feared that at length the whole body politic will become corrupted. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  And surely, though the two first may cause the decay of a Commonwealth, as much as the last, yet experience hath ever found this to be the most infallible and immediate forerunner, nutantis & iamiam casuri imperij, of a declining and tottering Empire, ready to fall by the least impulsion, or concussion.  
Rome, to the top of whose greatness 
o Ammian. Marcell. de Amphicheatro.  aegrè visio humana conscendit, scarce any human sight could reach 
p Moribus ant●quis res stat R●mana, virisque. , stood ever fast and victorious, as long as they kept their rigid discipline, and ancient customs inviolable; as long as they either had war with other Nations, as in the time of the Consuls; or were prepared for war, as it is said of Augustus, that when the Temple of janus was shut, he kept forty legions in pay: But afterward when want of foreign enemies made her study and apply herself to the Persian luxury and delicacies; when she began to have Nero'es and Heliogabali to her Emperors, she did forthwith not descend, but tumble down headlong from her greatness, to that despicable and contemned estate, whence she was never, never will be able to raise herself. As much might be said of the Grecian Empire, the Persian Monarchy, and all other Estates of whom there is now nothing to be seen, but the dust and rubbish. 
— Nam caetera regna  
Luxuries vitijs, odijsque superbia vertit.  Unhappy men are always made in respect of their sins, not accessaries, but principals in their own destruction; they become bloody Pharaohs to themselves, in killing the male children, and saving the faemales, in destroying or discountenancing masculine virtues, and nourishing effaeminate baseness; 
Dividimus muros, & moenia pandimus urbis.  Though not with their hands, yet by these means and manners, they disarm themselves of their defence, and are exposed to the uttermost of all injuries and perils. What could the Philistims have devised more dangerously against the Israelites? though they made them fly from place to place, and 
q 1 Sam. 13.6.  hide themselves in caves, and in rocks, and in holds, and in towers, and in pits, yet there was hope that they might rally & meet together, and( according to Demosthenes saying of himself) though they once ran away, afterward fight again; But when they had left them never a Smith in all Israel, so that among forty thousand men there was neither sword nor spear, than they thought they had them sure enough, for ever being able to lift up their hands, or make resistance against them.  
The same policy did Sesostris use against the Egyptians, whose country being great, and their numbers infinite, to keep them quiet he thought it his best course to 
r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  impose upon women the works of men, and upon men the works of women, constraining the men to sit at home, and the women to go abroad; the men to spin, the women to buy and sell; the men to bear burdens on their heads, the women on their shoulders; the men to wear double garments against the cold, the women single ones: the men to wear long hair, the women short; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.( let me spare the translation of this unnaturally translated gesture:) And wherefore all this? 
s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Herodot. lib. 2. & Nymphid. lib. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Citatur à Scholiast. in Sophoc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  hoping that by these means and customs, he should in time wean them from all manlike thoughts and exercise of Arms, and make them willingly & gladly yield their necks unto that yoke of slavery, which he knew it impossible any free spirit could bear.  
And what less or what other thing do they, who not from any outward compulsion, but merely out of their own native and inbred vices, softness, security, wantonness, and effaeminatnesse with the help of that Devil pleasure, 

t Sil. Ital. li. 15.  Quip nec ira Deûm tantum, nec tela, nec hosts,  
Quantum sola noces animis illapsa voluptas;  do unman themselves, and change not their shapes only, as Circe, but the habits of their souls, as if their bodies were moved and actuated by the spirits of Peacocks, Apes, Asses. Were Solomon alive, in these our times, and should change judaea for England, he could not say as once he did, 
u Eccles. 7.30.  I have found one man amongst a thousand, but a woman amongst them all have I not found, more truly might he say, I have found a thousand women( the vices and sins of so many) in the shape of one man, but a man, indeed, have I not found; the Lord of Hosts hath made good his word, 
x Esa. 13.12.  I will make a man more precious, than fine gold, even a man above the wedge of gold of Ophir.  
What this may portend, I do not, I dare not, know; sure I am, that a little before the taking and sacking of jericho, Rahab confessed of the inhabitants thereof 
y josh. 2.11.  Elanguit cor nostrum, nec remansit in nobis spiritus, that their hearts did faint, and there remained no more courage in any of them: A little before the conquest of Egypt, 
z Isa. 19.3.  Isay prophesied, Et concidet spiritus Aegypti in medio, that the spirit of Egypt should fail in the midst of her; A little before the captivity of the jews, the Lord foretold, that he would take away from judah and jerusalem, 
a Esa. 3.2.3.  the strong man, and the man of war, the captain of fifty, and the honourable person. And whensoever he meant to punish his people, by the sword of the enemy, he sent faintness into their hearts in the land of their enemies, that the sound of a shaken leaf did chase them, and they fled as flying from a sword, and they fell when none pursued, Leuit. 26.36.  
It is only known unto God, whose eye seeth all secrets, whether Moab and England sinning in the same degree, shall be punished in the same degree, or whether he will for three transgressions punish Damascus, and excuse judah for four; yet far be it from us, on the other side, to think that God doth 
b Aug. de civitat. Dei. li. 3. c. 2.  punire periuria Troiana, amare Romana, Revenge Trojan, and love Roman perjuries: Thus much we may say: The 
c Math 16.3.  jews could judge of the weather by the redness of the skies: the 
d Mat. 24.32.  husbandman of the nearness of Summer, by the fig-trees putting forth her leaves; 
e 1. Sam 20.  David knew what jonathan meant by the shooting of his arrows: 
f 1. Reg. 18.44.  Eliah understood there was rain toward, when he heard of a cloud no bigger than a man's hand: And he is but a simple Physician, who cannot find the plague in one infected, before the Carbuncle appear; nor the pleurisy, till the bag come up; nor the dropsy till the belly swell; Easily therefore may the Seers of Israel, whose eyes are in their heads, The watchmen of judah that stand upon the walls, give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, prognosticating or foreruning signs of things which already have their beginning; Now sin and punishment, as they have one word in the original, so they both run from the slip together, and when we see the one, we may be sure the other is not far behind, 
g 
Senec. Ita Aeschyl.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. in Pers.   Sequitur superbos ultor a tergo deus: Especially when we see this oily sin of sensuality overrun whole countries: we may justly suspect it not only as an adversary to fight against us, but even as a Messenger to bring us tidings of evil, and that not far distant or much remote; but as the Messengers to job, one trod upon the heels of another, 
h job. 1.18.  Adhuc loquebatur ille, & ecce alius intravit, while he yet spoke, behold there came another; so while effaeminate, lascivious, nice and delicate wantonness, is speaking, delivering its message and seducing men to pleasures and lasciviousness, ecce supervenit alius, behold there comes another, the punishment itself, whereunto that was a praeparative, namely destruction, ruin, and remediless desolation.  
Marcus Aurelius Probus( an Emperor of Rome, 
i Cuius nomen resipsa sequebatur.  whose name was not better than himself) was heard to say, brevi milites minime necessarios fore, cum desint hosts, that shortly there would be no use of soldiers, for want of enemies; but ea vox plurimùm obfuit, says one, 
k Pomp. Laetus.  That word did a great deal of harm, nay exitio fuit, says 
l Eutrop. Breviar. lib. 9  another, it cost him his life, for he was shortly after slain by the soldiers in a tumult at Sirmium, the place where he was borne.  
We have many, that with less cause, but with more confidence think Soldiers the most unnecessary implement that can be in a quiet and peaceable government; some do not let to say so, but ea vox plurimùm obest, that speech doth much harm, for 
m Veget. in Prologue. lib. 3.  Qui desiderat pacem praeparet bellum, He that desires peace, let him praepare for war; and worthily doth 
n De legib. lib. 1.  Plato commend the laws of the Cretans so made, tanquam homines semper parati essent ad bellum, atque in procinctu dimicandi consisteret, as if men ought always to be ready for war, & should continually stand in array of battle against their enemies.  
It is but a weak retreat for human frailty, to defend improvidence with orbis pacatus, the peace of all the world, and want of enemies; jerusalem is removed, saith the 
o Lament. 1.8.  Prophet, why? quia peccatum peccanit, because she hath sinned grievously; As long as transgressions are multiplied, foes will be found: If Solomon sin, 
p 1 Reg. 11.  Hadad and Rezon shall be stirred up against him. Inquire saith 
q judith. 5.  Achior to Holofernes, whether this people have committed any error, or sinned against their God; and then let us go up, and we shall overcome them, for that shall be their ruin. Accordingly whereunto, a Noble Countryman of ours, did wisely and soberly answer a petulant Frenchman, who at the loss of Calais, seeing him praepare homeward, asked him when he thought the English would return into France again: 
r Apotheg. Gall. libellus, pag. 72.  When( q ᵈ he) the sins of the French shall be more grievous than ours: most worthily and Christianlike; for ubi praeponderat iniquitas, ibi exaltabitur judicium, where wickedness presseth down as low as the centre, there judgement shall be exalted as high as heaven. O then beloved, as we hope to be accounted loyal subjects to our KING, let us shake off sin that hangeth on so fast; for 
s 1 Sam. 12.25.  If we do wickedly we shall perish both we and our King. As we love( that which ought to be dearest unto us of any earthly thing) our Country, let us forsake all unrighteousness, for 
t Ezech. 12.19.  desolabitur terra à multitudine sua, propter iniquitates omnium qui habitant in ea, the land shall be laid waist, because of the iniquity of them that dwell therein: As we desire the protection of him, who alone is able to keep us safe under the shadow of his wings, let us depart from that which is abominable in his sight, for 
u Wisd 1.3.  perversae cogitationes separant à Deo, evil thoughts separate from God: But above all the rest, let our own reason praevaile with us, if we be reasonable men, to abandon this sin, shall I say? or punishment of sin? or both? I mean, that frozen and benumbed senselessnes of approaching danger; sith God hath given us peace on all sides, let us seek to continue our peace by all means. 
x Bosquier. Veg. Christian. lib. 6. p. 378.  Henry the fourth late King of France was heard to say, that he had in his Exchequer, a hundred thousand horsemen, armed, mounted, and lodged: But we should hold it happiness and security enough for us( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) if we could truly say we had but half so many footmen; so they were not such as Lampridius calls milites ostensionales, soldiers for show or pomp; such as can wear their swords in great scarves & rich carriages; for any other behoof, as useful as Alcinous his golden dogs were for the defence of his house: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  But such as David's Captains were, 
y 1 Chr. 12.8, 14.  valiant men of war, men of arms, apt for battle, which could handle the spear and shield, one of the least could resist an hundred, and the greatest a thousand, like the fifty thousand of the tribe of Zebulon, which could set the battle in array, & none in duplici cord, and were not of a double heart; a praise which I could wish our Countrymen especially ambitious of, because elder times have had too many, and I fear future times shall not want some, who like Hercules his Priest( in S. Aug.) are able alone to play a game at tables, casting for themselves with the right hand, and for their supposed adversaries with the left. Now I conclude, & wind up all in a word; If in the truth of your hearts( for alium notorem non dabo, I desire no other judges) you be persuaded of the lawfulness of a necessary war, of your general obligation to the defence of your country, of the necessity of being exercised and trained up to military discipline; and lastly, if you be touched with a serious detestation of these base and effaeminate 
z Sueton. in Ner. quales describit C●em. Alexand. Paed. lib. 3. c. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  virorum faeminae, faeminarum viri, men amongst women, and women amongst men, 

a Virgil. Aeneid. lib. 9 ut & Homer. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. & n. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  O vere Phrygiae,( neque enim Phryges') ite per alta  
Dindyma.— sinite arma viris & cedite ferro.  Then take courage unto yourselves, be neither amazed nor dismayed with the mocks of such as sit in the seat of scorners, run not with the multitude to do evil; the readiness and resolution of your hearts hath made you Martyrs in your will and affection, and having said so, I shall need to add no more to your praise. Look down with sorrow and pity, upon the many thousands that march under Mindyrides his colours, that 
b Senec. de ira lib. 2. c. 25. Idem saepe questu● est, quod folijs r●s● duplicatis incubuisset.  Epicurean Sybarite, who complained that his arms ached with seeing one dig; and his sides were hurt with lying upon the doubled leaves of a rose; fie upon these strutting peacocks, we have spit seven times in their faces, yet they will not be ashamed.  
Be in yourselves, and may your example encourage others to be prepared against the day of battle, and accustomed to the meditation of war, for 
c Cassiodor. lib. 1. pag. 39 Ars bellandi, si non praeluditur, cum fuerit necessaria, non habetur. ibid.  Primordia cuncta pavida sunt, & aliter timiditas non tollitur, nisi quum rebus necessarijs novitas abrogatur; The first beginnings of all things have in them a certain kind of fear, which is not banished but by being made familiar with them. Labour( as occasion shall serve) to pluck up again, the sunk and drowned honour of our Country; and that it may not be the punishment of a slothful Nation, 
d Aul. G●ll. noct. Attic. lib. 10. c. 8. & Fr●nt. Stratagem. l. 4. c. 1.  which was once of a slothful soldier, to be let blood, 

e Greg. Naz. car. ad Nicob. Pat. ver. 104. — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  let every opportunity be waited, and all means of prevention willingly embraced.  
Lastly, when we have gone as far as we can, in praeparing the horse against the day of battle, yet considering that safety, or victory is of the Lord, let us repair unto him for help, & not 
f Psal. 20 7.  trust in charets or horses, for they are 
g Psal. 33.17.  counted but vain things to save a man, and in much humility refer ourselves to his good pleasure, saying with joab, 2 Sam. 10.12. Be strong and let us be valiant for our people, and for the Cities of our God; and let the Lord do that which is good in his own eyes.  
Now to jehovah, the Almighty King of Kings, and Lord of hosts, and to his victorious son Christ jesus, the Lion of the tribe of judah, together with the Holy Ghost, the Communion of them both, the inspirer of all virtue and true valour, be power, majesty, might, and dominion ascribed, now & for evermore. AMEN.  
FINIS.