The Soldiers Honor, Part 3
The Forlorne Hope.
Was there a shield or speare seene among fortie thousand in Israel? Was there? There was not: This question is a plaine negatiue. Here is Defectus remedij, the want of helpe: great miserie, but no remedie: not a Speare to offend; no, not a Shield to defend. Warre, and warre in the Gates, and yet neyther offensiue nor defensiue weapon? Miserrima priuatio, quae omnem tollit ad habitum regressum. A miserable destitution, which admits of no restitution, that can neuer be restored to the former habite. It takes away all, both present possession, and future possibilitie; Rem & Spem, Helpe, and Hope.
But suppose, that onelyonly some one companie had wanted, yet if the rest of the forces had beene armed, there were some comfort. No, not a shield nor speare among many, among a thousand, among many thousand, among fortie thousand: An Host of men, and not a weapon? grieuous exigent! If it had beene any defect but of armour, or in any other time but the time of warre, or onelyonly in one Citie of Israel, and not in all. But is there warre, and warre in the gates, and doe many, euen thousands, want? what, armour enough? so they might easily; nay, but one shield, one speare? miserable calamitie!
They were in great distresse vnderunder the raigne of Saul,1. Sam. 13. The spoilers came out of the Campe of the Philistines, 1. Sam. 13.22.in three companies, &c. Yet it came to passe in the day of battell, that there was neither sword nor speare found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Ionathan: but with Saul and with Ionathan his sonne was there found. Here was a great want; three bands of the enemies, and but two swords: yet there were then two; and it so pleased God that those two were enow. As the Apostles said to Christ,Luke 22.…8. Ecce duo gladij; Master, here are two swords: and he answered, It is enough. But two swords for so many, and against so many; a word of great miserie. But God saith, Satis est, those two are enow, a word of great merciemercy. He can giuegive victorie with two swords, with one sword, with no sword: and so he did here, that conuinced Israel might see, it was the Lord that fought for them; and so bee moued to blesse the Lord.
You see now all the parts of the Affliction: the Alarme in sinne, the Battell in warre, and the Forlorne hope in the want of remedie. Two vsefull obseruations may hence be deduced.
1. That warre at some times is iust and necessarie; indeed iust when it is necessarie; as here. For shall it come to the gates, and shall we not meet it? Yea shall wee not meet it before it come neere the gates? There is then a season when warre is good and lawfull. Saint Augustine obserues, that when the Souldiers, among the rest of the people, came to Iohn the Baptist to be catechised: What shall we doe? He did not bid them leaue off being souldiers, but taught them to be good souldiers. Doe violence to no man, Luke 3.14.neither accuse anie falsely, and be content with your wages. Milites instruit, militare non prohibet: hee directs them to be good men, not forbids them to bee warlike men.
God himselfe is termed a Man of warre: and hee threatens warre:Exod. 17.16. The Lord hath sworne that hee will hauehave warre with Amalek from generation to generation. Iudg. 3.Manie of the Philistins, Canaanites, and Sidonians were left to teach Israel warre. Luxuriant animi rebus plerumque secundis. Too much warmth of prosperitie hatcheth vp luxurie. There must be some exercise, lest mens spirits grow restie.
The standing water turnes to putrefaction.
And vertue is no vertue but in action.
Sings the diuine Poet. Idlenesse doth neither get, nor saue, but loose. If execise be good, those are best which tend to most good. The exercises of warre steppe in here, to challenge their deserued praise. As with woodden wasters men learne to play at the sharpe: so practise in times of peace makes readie for the time of warre. It is good to be doing, that when Satan comes, inueniat occupatum; he may find thee honestly busied. The bird so long as she is vponupon wing, flying in the aire, is safe from the fowler: but when the sits lasie on a tree, pruning her feathers, a little shot quickly fetcheth her downe. So long as we are well exercised, the deuill hath not so faire a marke of vsus: but idle, we lie prostrate obiects to all the shot of his temptations. Now there are two cautions obserueable in the iustnesse of warres. 1. that they be vndertaken iusta causa, vponupon iust and warrantable cause. 2. that they be prosecuted bono animo, with an honest mind.
1. The Cause must be iust. For
Frangit & attollit vires in milite causa.
The cause doth either encourage or discourage the souldier, indeede it makes or marres all. This iust cause is threefold, well comprised in that verse,
Paxpopuli, Patriaeque salus, & Gloria Regni.
The peace of the people, the health of the Countrey, and the glorie of the Kingdome.
1. The Peace of the people: for wee must aime by warre to make way for peace. We must not desire truce to this end, that wee may gather force against an vniust warre: but wee desire a iust warre, that wee may settle a true peace. So Ioab heartned his brother Abishai and the choise men of Israel against the Syrians. 2. Sam. 10.12.Be of good courage, and let vsus play the men, for our People, and for the Cities of our God.
2. The health and safetie of our Countrey: Periclitantur aliqui, ne pereant omnes, Some must beendangered, that all may not be destroyed. And I would here, that the dull and heauie spirits of our rotten worldlings would consider. Quorum causa; for whose sake these worthy men spare neither their paines nor their purses, in this noble exercise. Euen for theirs; theirs, and their childrens, that so contemptibly iudge of them.
If ware should be in the gates, whither would you runne for defence, where shrowd your selues, but vnderunder their Colours which you hauehave despised? Who should keepe the Vsurers money from pillaging? all his Obligations, Morgages, and Statutes from burning? Who should keepe the foggie Epicure, in his soft chaire after a full meale fast asleepe? Who should maintaine the nice Ladie in her Caroch, whirling through the popular streetes? Who should reserue those delicate parlours, and adorned chambers from fire and flames? Who should saue Virgins from rauishment, children from famishment, mothers from astonishment? Citie & Countrey, Temples and Pallaces, Traffickes and Markets, Ships and Shops; Westminster-hall and the Exchange, two of the richest acres of ground in England, from plowing vp; from hauing it said, I am seges vbi Troia fuit, corne groweth were London stood; all from ruine; who but the Souldier vnderunder God?Iudg. 7.18. The sword of God, and the sword of Gideon?
3. The Glorie of the Kingdome, and that is Euangelium Christi, the Gospel of Iesus Christ. Warres for God are called Gods battells. The destruction of their cities that reuolt from God to Idols, and the whole spoile, is for the Lord: it is the Lords battell, and the Lords spoile. Deut. 13. Saul thus encouraged Dauid to warre;1. Sam. 18.17. Be thou valiant for me, and fight the Lords battells. The most and best warriours were called the Sonnes of God. So Abraham, Moses, Dauid, Ioshua, Gedeon; and that Centurion was a man of warre, whose praise Christ so sounded forth in the Gospel,Mat. 8.10. I hauehave not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And the best warres are for God: so Christians beare in their Ensignes the Crosse, to shew that they fight for the honour of Iesus Christ.
When therefore there is hazard to loose the peace of the people, the safetie of the Countrey, the glorie of all, the Gospel of our Sauiour Christ; here is iust cause of warre. They that goe forth to fight vponupon these termes, shall conquer.
Causa iubet melior superos sperare secundos.
A good cause giues assurance of victorie. God shall martiall that armie, yea himselfe will sight for them.
2. The next caution, after a good ingression, is to be sure of a good prosecution. Wee say of the Chirurgion, that he should hauehave a Ladies hand, and a Lyons heart: but the Christian souldier should hauehave a Ladies heart, and a Lyons hand. I meane, though hee deale valiant blowes, yet not destroy without compassion. Fortitudo virtus bellica, man suetudo virtus bella. Though manfulnesse be a warlike vertue, yet gentlenesse is a Christian vertue. The sword should not bee bloudied, but in the heat of battell. And after victorie, when a souldier lookes on the dead bodies of his enemies, pittie should sit in his eyes rather then insultation. Hee should not strike the yeelding, nor prey vponupon prostrate fortunes.
I know that diuers aspersions are cast vponupon men of this ranke, They thinke that manie take armes, Non vt seruiant, sed vt soeuiant; not to serue for their Countrey, but to rage and forrage: making their Cote-armour a defence for drinking, whoring, swearing, dicing; and such disorders. As if it were imposible, that a tender conscience should dwell in one bosome with a valiant heart.Isidor. Olim castra quasi casta dicebantur; quia castratur in ijs libido. The Campe seemed to take the denomination, saith hee, from chastitie; because in the warres lust was beaten downe. But now Venus is gotten into the armes of Mars.
Militat omnis amans, & habet sua castra Cupido.
Cupid hath displayed his Colours, and pitched his Tent in the midst of the Armie; as if it were the onelyonly brauerie of a Souldier, to drinke valiant healths to his Mistresse. One writes of the Turkes, that though they are the most monstrous beasts at home in peace, and sinne euen against nature: yet in warres caute & caste viuunt, they liue charily and chastly. Not as the Fryers say, Caute si non caste: the Turkes are better then the Fryers in this. Vitia sua domi deponunt, saith hee: they leaue all their naughtinesse behind them at home. But he addes withall to our reproch, Christianus assumit: the Christians there take vp those vices, as if they found them sowne in a pitched field. That there is often, saith he, Grauior turba meretricum, quam militum: it is hard to iudge, whether the number of souldiers or of harlots be greater. Hence it is said, that
Rara fides pietasque viris, qui castra sequuntur.
There is so little fidelitie and pietie in men that follow the warres. These be the common inuectiues against Souldiers.
But now doe not manie taxe them, that are worse themselues? Who can endure to heare an Vsurer taxe a Pillager? an Epicure find fault with a Drinker? a man-eating Oppressor with a gaming Souldier?
Quis tulerit Gracchum de seditione loquentem?
Who can abide to heare Gracchus declaine against sedition? or the Foxe preach peace to the Geese? Say that some are faultie: must therefore the whole Profession be scandalized? Will you despise the word of God, because some that preach it are wicked men? no;
Dent ocyus omnes,
Quas meruere pati, sic stet sententia poenas.
Lay the fault where it should lie: be they onelyonly blamed that deserued it. Some persons may be reproueable, but the Profession is honourable.
The martialist may be a good Christian: in all likelyhood should be the best Christian. Mors semper in oculo, therefore should be semper in animo. How should death be out of that mans mind, that hath it alwayes in his eye? His verie calling teacheth him to expound Saint Paul; who calls the Christians life a Warfare. His continuall dangers to the good souldier, are as it were so many meditations of death. If he die in peace, he falls breast to breast with vertue. If in warre, yet he dies more calmely then many an Vsurer doth in his chamber. Though he be conquered, yet he is a Conqueror: he may loose the day in an earthly field, but he winnes the day against Sinne, Satan, and Hell; and sings with Paul, like a dying Swan;2. Tim. 4.7. I hauehave fought a good fight, I hauehave finished my course, I hauehave kept the faith; now there is layd vp for me a Crowne of Righteousnesse.
2. The other inference that may hence be deduced, is this, That Munition and Armes should at all times be in readinesse. How grieuous was it, when Iabin had such an Host, and not a shield or speare among fortie thousand in Israel? For our selues, wee hauehave not our Peace by Patent; we know not how long it will continue: let vsus prouide for Warre, in trayning vp some to militarie practises. If Warre doe come, it is a labour well spent: if Warre doe not come, it is a labour very well lost. Wise men in faire weather repaire their houses against Winter stormes; the Ant labours in haruest, that she may feast at Christmasse.Sen. Diu apparandum est bellum, vt vincas celerius; Be long in preparing for warre, that thou mayest ouercome with more speed: Longa belli praeparatio celerem facit victoriam; A long preparation makes a short and quicke victorie.
Tut wee say, if that day comes, wee shall hauehave Souldiers enow; wee will all fight. O dulce bellum inexpertis; They that neuer tried it, thinke it a pleasure to fight. Wee shall fight strangely, if wee hauehave no weapons; and vse our weapons more strangely, if we hauehave no skill:Veget. de re militari, lib. 1. cap. 20. Non de pugna, sed de fuga cogitant, qui nudi in acie exponuntur ad vulnera; Their mindes are not so much of fighting, as on flying, that are exposed to the furie of warre without weapons; neyther will all be souldiers that dare talke of warres: Non dat tot pugna socios, quot dat mensa conviuas; All that are your fellow guests at the Table, will not be your fellow souldiers in the Field.
Could any tongue forbeare to taxe the rich men of this honourable Citie, if their houses be altogether furnished with Plate, Hangings, and Carpets, and not at all with Weapons and Armour, to defend the Common-wealth? How fondly doe they louelove their Riches, that will not lay out a little to secure the rest? When the Turke inuaded the Greeke Empire; before the siege was layed to Constantinople, the Metropolitane Citie, the Emperour sollicites the subiects to contribute somewhat to the repaire of the walls, and such militarie prouision and preuention: But the subiects drew backe, and pleaded want. Hereupon the Turke enters, and conquers: and in ransacking the Citie, when he found such aboundance of wealth in priuate houses, hee lift vp his hands to Heauen, and blessed himselfe, that they had so much riches, and would suffer themselues to be taken, for not vsing them.
So if euer London should be surprised by her enemies, which the wonted mercies of our God defend for euer; would they not wonder to finde such infinite treasures in your priuate houses, when yet you spent none of them to prouide shield or speare, munition to defend your selues? What scope can you imagine, or propound to your owne hearts wherein your riches may doe you seruice? You can tell me, nay I can tell you. You reserue one bagge for pride, another for belly-cheare, another for lust, yet another for contention and sutes in law. O the madnesse of vsus Englishmen! wee care not what wee spend in ciuill iarres, that yet will spend nothing to avoid forraine warres. They say, the Iew will spend all on his Pasches, the Barbarian on his Nuptialls, and the Christian on his quarrels, or lawsutes. We need not make our selues enemies by our riches, we hauehave enow made to our hands. Christ sayes;Luke 16.9. Make you friends of the Mammon of vnrighteousnesse. Make to your selues friends by your charitie, not aduersaries by your litigation. Seeke peace, saith the Prophet, and pursue it: seeke peace, warre will come fast enough. And if it doe come, it will hardly bee made welcome. The Spaniards hauehave often threatned, often assaulted; euer beene preuented, euer infatuated. Take we heed, if they doe preuaile, they will be reuenged once for all. God grant we neuer trie their merciemercy. Whether they come like Lyons rampant, or like Foxes passant, or like Dogges couchant, they intend nothing but our ruine and desolation.
O Lord, if we must fall by reason of our monstrous sinnes, let thine owne hand cast vsus downe, not theirs: for there is merciemercy in thy blowes. When that wofull offer was made to Dauid, of three things; Chuse thee one of them, that I may doe it vntounto thee. Either seuen yeares famine, or three moneths persecution, or three dayes plague. He answered vntounto Gad, 2. Sam. 24.14.and by him vntounto God: I am in a wonderfull straite: but suddenly resolues; Let vsus now fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great; and let mee not fall into the hands of man. If it bee thy will, O Lord to plague vsus, take the rodde into thine owne hands: doe thou strike vsus.
—liceat perituro viribus ignis,
Igne perire tuo; clademque authore leuare.
Why shouldst thou sell vsus into the hands of those Idolatrous Romists, that will giuegive thine honour to stockes and stones; blesse this or that Saint and not be thankefull to thy Maiestie, that giues them the victorie. For thine owne sake, be mercifull to vsus; yea thou hast beene mercifull: therefore wee praise thee;1. Cor. 15.57. and sing with thy Apostle: Thankes be to God, which giueth vsus the victorie, through Iesus Christ our Lord.
I hauehave held you long in the Battell: it is now high time to sound a Retreat. But as I hauehave spoken much of Israels Affliction, so giuegive me leaue to speake one word of the Prophetesses Affection: and of this onelyonly by way of exhortation. My heart is set on the Gouernours of Israel, that offered themselues willingly among the people: Blesse ye the Lord. Here is considerable
Both Subiectum in Quo.
Both Obiectum in Quod.
The Subiect in which this Affection resides: and the Obiect on which this Affection reflects.
The Subiect wherein it abides is Cor, the Heart: a great zeale of louelove. Not onelyonly Affectio cordis, but Cor affectionis: not onelyonly the Affection of the Heart, but the Heart of Affection. My heart is set.
The Obiect on which it reflects is double; Man and God, the excellent creature, and the most excellent Creator: the men of God, and the God of men. VponUpon Men; My heart is towards the Gouernours of Israel, that offered themselues willingly among the people. VponUpon God; Blesse ye the Lord.
Among men two sorts are obiected to this louelove: Superiors in the first place, Inferiors in the later. To the Commanders primarily, but not onelyonly: for if they offered themselues willingly among the people, as we reade it: then certainely the people also willingly offered themselues, as the other translations reade it: Those that were willing amongst the people. You see, here is a foundation laid for a great and ample building of discourse; but I know you looke to the glasse, therefore promise nothing but application. And that
1. To the Gouernours of our Israel; that they offer themselues willingly to these militarie designes: not on compulsion; Quoniam probitate coacta, gloria nulla venit. His brows deserue no wreathed Coronet that is enforced: come with a willing mind. In euerie good worke there must be Sollicitudo in effectu, and Feruor in affectu: cheerefulnesse in the affection, and carefulnesse in the action. God loues a cheerefull giuer: so thou gainest no small thing by it, but euen the louelove of God. Whatsoeuer good thing thou doest, saith Augustine, doe it cheerefully and willingly, and thou doest it well. Si autem cum tristitia facis, de te sit, non tu facis: if thou doest it heauily and grudgingly, it is wrought vponupon thee, not by thee: thou art rather the patient then the agent in it. God could neuer endure a luke-warme affection. Reuelat. 3. No man was admitted to offer to the building of the Tabernacle, that did it grudgingly. Of eueryevery man that giueth it willingly with his heart, Exod. 25.2ye shall take my offering. In all thy gifts shew a cheerefull countenance, saith the Wiseman: in all, whether to God or man. Saint Chrysostome giues the reason; Cum tali vultu respicit Deus, cum quali tu facis.God respects it with such a countenance as thou performest it. Gods seruice is Libera seruitus, where not necessitie but charitie serues. Non complacet Deo famulatus coactus. God could neuer endure forc'd seruice. Doe all then with willingnesse of heart.
Thinke with a reuerend courage of your noble Ancestors, how their prowesse renowned themselues and this whole nation. Shew your selues the legitimate and true borne children of such fathers. The fame of Alexander gaue heart to Iulius Caesar, to be the more noble a warriour. Let the consideration of their valour teach you to shake off cowardize. They fought the battells, that you might enioy the peace. You holde it an honour to beare Armes in your Scutchions; and is it a dishonour to beare Armes in the Field? The time hath beene, when all honour in England came a Marte or Mercurio; from Learning or Chiualrie, from the Pen or the Pike, from Priesthood or Knighthood.
It would bee an vnknowne encouragement to goodnesse, if honour still might not bee dealed but vponupon those termes. Then should manie worthie spirits get vp the High-gate of preferment: and idle Drones should not come neerer then the Dunstable high-way of obscuritie. It was a monstrous storie, that Nicippus his Sheepe did bring forth a Lyon: but it is too true, that manie of our English Lyons hauehave brought forth Sheepe. Among birds you shall neuer see a Pigeon hatch'd in an Eagles neast: among men you shall often see noble progenitors bring forth ignoble cowards.
But let vertue be renowned, rewarded, wheresoeuer shee dwells. Though Bion was the sonne of a Courtesan, I hope no man will censure him with Partus sequitur ventrem. Non genus sed genius: non gens sed mens. Neuer speake of thy bloud, but of thy good: not of thy Nobilitie, thou art beholding to thy friends for it, but of thy vertue. Euen the Duke fetcheth the honour of his name from the warres; and is but Dux, a Captaine. And it seemes the difference was so small betweene a Knight and a common Souldier, among the Romanes; that they had but one word, Miles, to expresse both their names.
You then that hauehave the places of Gouernment in this honourable Citie, offer willingly your hands, your purses, your selues, to this noble Exercise. Your good example shall hearten others: be not ashamed to be seene among the people; vponupon such did Debora set her heart. Alexander would vsually call his meanest souldiers, friends and companions. Tullie writes of Caesar, that he was neuer heard speaking to his Souldiers; Ite illuc, Goe thither: but Venite hu…, come hither: I will goe with you. The inferior thinkes that labour much easier, which hee sees his Captaine take before him. Malus miles qui Imperatorem gemens sequitur: Hee is an ill Souldier that followes a good Leader with a dull pace. So Gedeon to his Souldiers,Iudg. 7.17. Iudg. 7. Looke on me, and do likewise: when I come to the outside of the Campe, it shall be that as I doe, so shall yee doe. So Abimelech to his men of Armes,Iudg. 9.48. Iudg. 9. What yee hauehave seene me doe, make hast, and doe as I hauehave done. The good Captaine is first in giuing the charge, and last in retiring his foote. Hee endures equall toile with the common Souldiers: from his example they all take fire, as one Torch lighteth many. And so much for the Gouernours.
2. Now for you that are the materialls of all this, let me say to you without flatterie▪ Goe forth with courage in the feare of God, and the Lord be with you. Preserue vnitie among your selues: left as in a Towne on fire, whiles all good hands are helping to quench it, theeues are most busie to steale booties: So whilst you contend, murmur, or repine one at the honour of another, that subtile theefe Satan, through the cracke of your diuisions, step in, and steale away your peace.
Offer your selues willingly; and being offered step not backe. Remember that Turpe est militem fugere; it is base for a Souldier to flye. When Bias was enuironed with his enemies, and his souldiers asked him, what shall we doe? He replyed, Goe ye and tell the liuing that I die fighting, and I will tell the dead that you did scape flying. Our Chronicles report, that when William the Conqueror landed at Pemsey neere to Hastings in Sussex, hee commanded all his ships to be sunke: that all hope of returning backe might be frustrate. You hauehave begun well; goe on, be perfect, be blessed.
And remember alwayes the burden of this song, which euerie thing that hath breath must sing; Blesse ye the Lord. Those heauenly Souldiers that waited on the natiuitie of Iesus Christ,Luke. 2.13. sung this song; Glorie be to God on high. VponUpon this Lord the heart of Debora, of Israel, of vsus all, should be set. It is he that teacheth vsus to fight, and fighteth for vsus.
To conclude with an obseruation of a reuerend Diuine: England was said to hauehave a warlike Saint, George; but Bellarmine snibbes Iacobus de Voragine for his leaden Legend of our English George. And others hauehave inueighed against the authentike truth of that storie. Sure it is their malice, that hauehave robbed England of her Saint. Saint Iames is for Spaine, Saint Denis for France, Saint Patricke for Ireland; other Saints are allotted and allowed for other Countreyes: onelyonly poore England is bereaued of her George: they leaue none but God to reuenge our quarrells. I thinke it is a fauour and an honour, and wee are bound to thanke them for it. Let them take their Saints, giuegive vsus the Lord; Blesse ye the Lord. So let vsus pray with our Church, GiueGive peace in our time O Lord; for there is none that fighteth for vsus, but thou O God. To this mercifull God be all glorie, obedience, and thanksgiuing, now and for euer. AMEN.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Adams, The Soldiers Honor (1617)