The Looking Glass of the Holy War, Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXIX. Of the true Vſofe Victory.
THus having ſhewed you as well as I can, Fiue things to be obſerved in the true uſed of victory. Acknowledge victory to be of God, & be thankfull for the ſ…me.how to ſecure the victory; I come now …o the true uſe of the victory being thus ſecured. The true uſe or good carriage of the victory conſiſteth in theſe fiue particulers. Thankfulneſse to God, moderation of themſelues, C…emencie toward the conquered, Lawfull uſage of the creatures, and due reſpect to their owne ſouldiers.
Now to the firſt, wherein there be two things to be noted, Firſt an acknowledgment of the victory to come of God, and next to be thankfull to God for it. For both thoſe there be plentie of teſtimonies, both in Goods booke, and other writers: the former of theſe two all men will eaſily acknowledge in word (except they be Atheiſts) but the neglect of the latter ſheweth the former, in the moſt, to be but verbal: for if men would acknowledge that victory were from God indeed, they would never carry themſelues ſo inſolently in their victories againſt God as they doe. But to come to ſome proofs. Firſt, that all victories are of God. Samuel ſpeaking of the victories that David and his worthies obtayned: 2. Sam. 23.10. Gen. 14.20 Ioſuab. 11.6. Exod. 15. Iudg. 5.and the Lord wrought a great victory that day. God is ſaid to giuegive Abrahā the victory ouer his enemies. So to giuegive Ioſua his enemies into his hands: So you may ſee in that ſong of Moſes, and in the ſong of Deborah. As victory is of God, ſo all the Saints of God hauehave attributed their victories to God, & thanked God for them; as may appeare at large in the aforeſaid ſongs. Bleſſed be the most high God (ſaith Melchizedeck to Ahraham) which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand. Moſes after the victory obtayned over the Amalekits, in token of his thankfullnes erecteth an Altar to the Lord, which he calleth by the name of Iehovah is my banner. I…hovab Niſſi. Exo. 17.5.The Prophet David at Gods commandement, having ſmitten the Philiſtins, attributed all the power unto God, & for the victory giveth him all the prayſe; The Lord hath broken, forth (ſaith he) upon mine enemies as the breach of many waters; therefore he called the name of the place Baal Perazin; where obſerve how he aſ…ribeth the victory wholly to the power of God, and in token of his thankfulnes for the ſame obtayned, he leaveth a monument thereof in the name of the place, calling it Baal Perazin, or the plain of diviſion, or broken aſſunder; becauſe he brake in upon them, by the power of God, like the inundation of waters. To this purpoſe, the 22, of the ſecond of Sam: is worth your reading.
The very heathens who were ignorant of the true God; yet did acknowledge their victories to be of God, and therefore laboured to intice from their enemies their tutelar gods, to get them on their ſide, that they might the eaſier ouercome them. Of that mind were the Philiſtims in that battle againſt the Iſraelites, when they perceived that the Ark of God was come into the Campe (though he were not there himſelfe) yet were they exceedingly afraid, and ſaid; God is come into the Camp, and they ſaid, woe unto us, 1 Sam. 4.6.7.who ſhall deliver us out of the hand of thoſe mighty Gods? &c. They ſpake not this out of any true fear, or yet out of any true knowledge that they had of God: but onelyonly they feared that the Gods of Iſrael (for ſo they called the Ordinances) would plague them, as the Aegiptians were plagued by them: but God in juſt wrath gaue his people into their hands: which victory they attributed to their god Dagon, and in token of their thankfulneſſe, they ſacrificed the beſt of their ſpoiles to him, namely, the Arke of God which they had taken from the Iſraelites. The Thracians, though a warlike people, yet the moſt barbarous of all Nations, Marcellinus lib. 27.doe challenge Mars for their Country-man, and ſo make him their God, to whom they bow before they goe to battle, and to whom they ſacrifice the beſt of their captiues, after their victory. Where, by the way, in exerciſe of Armes, to offer a laurell bough to a fayned Mars, is more Thracian-like, then Chriſtian-like. For in jeſt or in earneſt, wee ſhould not attribute, or make any ſhew of attributing victory to any other God, Aedes victo…iae. Alex. ab Alex. lib. …. cap. 11.but to Iehovah. The Romanes likewiſe had their Temples conſecrated to Victory. And to put the Romiſh Philistims in the buſhell with them, as they duely deſerue, they ſacrifice the prayſe of their victory, to Iack in the box, or other Idols.
But all theſe may tax a great many that goe under the name of Chriſtians. They know that victory and deliverance are from God; yet when it commeth to the acknowledgement, and tendering to God his due honour; they ſay little leſſe in their actions then Pharoah ſaid in plain termes; Who is the Lord that I ſhould obey his voyce? Exod. 5.….I know not the Lord. That which is related of Tamerlan, called the Securg of God for tyrannie, may make many bluſh at their unthankfulneſſe to God. Having taken Baiazet the great Turke, at the battle of Stella montis or Caſſona, (as the Turks cal it,) he we… out on foot to meet him, brought him into his Tent, ſ… him on the ſame Carpet… a… meat with himſelfe, and did hi… all the honour that poſſible he could: he began to recou… how much they were both bounden to giuegive thanks un… God, for the great things he had beſtowed on them; … for bringing himſelfe, being a poore lame man, to command from the borders of India to the gates of …vast… from the which he had given Baiazet to command to th… borders of Hungarie; inſomuch, ſaith he, if God ha… vouchſafed to hauehave given me a ſhare in the whole world, wha… could ſuch a crooked thing as I deſire more? An… are we not bound (ſaith he) to giuegive him many thankes▪ This is more I am ſure then a great many hauehave thought on in any ſerious manner; but they are liker to Baiazer indeed, whom Tamerlane queſtioned, whe…her ever he had give… thankes to God or no, for making him ſo great an Emperour; who confeſſed ingenuouſly that, whereof many be guilty (though they are aſhamed to confeſſe it;) that he had never ſo much as thought upon giving thankes to God. To whom T… merlane replyed, that i… was no wonder that ſo ungratefull a man ſhould be made a ſpectacle of miſery. For you (ſaith he being blind of one eye, and I lame of a leg, was there any worth in us why God ſhould ſe… us over two great Empires, Haec L…onclavius in editione ſua Annael. Turcar.of Turkes and Tartars, to command many more worthy then our ſelues? I would hauehave many to obſerue this; and if neither Gods workes for them, nor his Word to them, nor their profeſſing that they know him, will ſerue to work their hearts to thankfulneſſe: yet let them for ſhame pick a pattern out of one of the worſt men that ever we reade of: and let them bluſh at the drowning of many great deliverances in oblivion, as though God had been bound to them. Are not ſome from their cradle to this day, ingaged to the purity of Religion, by their continuall preſervation, and admirable deliveries from the deſignes of their enemies; yet how hauehave they requit religion, and her followers? in plain termes, with the devill to their thanks. Yea, let thoſe to whom God in fighting of his battles hath given any victory, be humbled for their great neglect of this. I ſpeak in particular to the Hollander, whoſe deliverances hath been admirable, and whoſe maintenance is from the very finger of God againſt the whole forces of Babel; but I fear their forgetfulneſſe wil make God weary of them: and we may well take them by the hand; for we hauehave not yet ſo much as reckoned with God for the debt of 88, and the Powder-plot deliverance. As we hauehave joyned in this ſo ſacrilegious a ſin of unthankefulneſſe; ſo God giuegive us to joyne both in reckoning and reſtitution.
It is a thing incident to Gods children to be too too faulty in this very particular, if they looke not to it. Witneſſe good Hezekiah, who had more minde to ſhew his pompe and bravery to the Babyloniſh Embaſſadours, then to giuegive thankes to God for his deliverance from Senacherib; and therefore the Lord met with him. In time to come, upon any opportunity, forget not to offer ſacrifice of praiſe, be the victory never ſo little. David in the very ſame caſe, Pſa. 116.12doth modell with himſelfe what to render unto God. What ſhall I render to Iehovah for all his bounty toward me? The returne of thankes in any true manner and meaſure, maketh an increaſe of the ſtock.
To theſe two former, a third may be added reſpecting God, that if any place contended for, Purge out idolatry.come under the conquerors government, that he purge it from idolatrie and all ſalſe worſhip, ſo much as in him lyeth. A mixture of religion or a linſie woolſie worſhip, the Lord will not tollerate, and what man dare take upon him then to doe it? The ſuppreſſing of all falſe worſhip, may be preſſed upon Kings and Magiſtrates, Reaſons for ſuppreſing falſo worſhip.whereſoever they hauehave right to command, by theſe fiue reaſons: from Gods ſtrict commandement in that behalfe, from the nature of God to be worſhipped, from the office of the Magiſtrate, from the practize of Idolaters, and laſtly, from the evill that enſueth upon idolatrous worſhip.
Then to the firſt (for in every particular I would be briefe) God plyeth this point againe and againe upon his people, and the rulers thereof; namely, that they ſhould breake downe their images; Exo. 23.24 & 32.that they ſhould make no covenāt with them, nor with their gods; that they ſhould not ſuffer them to dwell in th… land; Deu. 12.13they ſhould make no mention of the names of their gods; tha… they ſhould deſtroy their places wherein they ſerved their gods, ye… the graven images. Deut. 7.3.Againe thou ſhalt not ſtricke any convent with them. What can be more more plainely ſaid againſt tolleration? for herein is forbidden, as one ſaith well, not onelyonly their groſse idolls, Tota eorum converſatio prohibita eſt.or ſuperſtitious rites and ceremonies in the true worſhip of God, but generally all converſation is forbidde… with them as naught.
If any plead againſt this, that the charge concerned the Iewes againſt the Canaanits, in particular; I anſwere, obſerv… but the reaſon of the charge, and it will tell you that it concerneth all Gods people in the caſe of idolatrie, or ſuperſtitious worſhip, the rule muſt neede be as generall, as the reaſon of the rule: Exe. 23.23.but the reaſon both in Exodus and Deut: concerneth all; therefore ſo doth the rule; They ſhall not dwell in the land (ſaith the Lord) leaſt they make thee to ſin againſt me: for thou wilt ſerve their gods, which ſhalbe a ſnare unto thee. And againe, thou ſhalt not make marriages with them, thy daughter thou ſhalt not giuegive to his ſonne, and his daughter thou ſhalt not take to thy ſonne. Marke the reaſon: for he will turne away thy ſonne from after me. HaueHave not wofull experience taught us in this land? and were wee not like to be taugh… (like fooles) in a deeper and more dangerous inſtance… Of the generalitie of this inſtance; If any can ſay of his ſons heart that an idolatrous daughter cannot turne it away from God, then he might goe match him with ſuch an one: but the former were to contradict God, 1. Ioh. 5.12 De corona militis. cap. 10.therefore he may not doe the latter. Babes (ſaith S. Iohn) keepe your ſelues from idolls. That is as Tertullian ſaith) ab ipſa effigie eorum. From any relique, or ſhew of them, all which ſhould be abandoned. In precept Iohn forbiddeth theſe foure things; The making of Idols; the uſing of Idols; Lib. 2.8.the keeping of them in the houſe or land; (for all muſt be put away, as I hauehave ſhewed:) And laſtly, wee are to avoide the uſers of Idolls; they muſt be abandoned. Take heed that none ſpoyle, or make a prey of you.Col. 2.8.
As for the Papiſts excuſe, that they are no Idolaters it is but a covering of fig-leaves, as the word of God, the wirtings of the learned, both ancient and moderne doth fully manifeſt, wherein they are diſcovered to be the very worſt ſort of Idolaters. Pag. 685.Looke Maſter Perkins in his treatiſe of idolatrie of the laſt times.
The ſecond reaſon may be taken from the nature of God and true religion, which is one, as God is one, one faith, Eph. 4.5.one God. There be many falſe religions, as there is much counterfeit Pearle: but one true religion, Lib. 4 de Divin. inſtitut.compared to the Vnion or Margarit. This appeareth by the Etymon of religion, which is ſo called as Lactantius; a religando, from tying the ſoule unto God, non a relegendo (ſaith he) as Tully would hauehave it: Nor a relinquendo, as the Atheiſt would hauehave it. Relgio eſt qua ſe …nima deo ligat. 1. Sam. 4.4So Auguſtine runneth upon the ſame ground. Religion is that whereby the ſoule is tyed unto God; and ſo Iſidore to the ſame effect. This unitie will endure no competition: Dagon and the Arke cannot ſtand together: Yea God will hauehave no partner in his Worſhip: becauſe he is a jealous God. In that land where God dwelleth he will endure no worſhip but his owne. Having commanded the Iſraelits to roote out all idolatrie and ſuperſtition, Deut. 12.4.7.he ſheweth them that he will chooſe out a place where he will put his name, and there he will dwell, & thither ſhould they reſort: As if the ſpirit of God ſhould ſay, where he dwelleth, there muſt no Idols dwell. Yea let Kings and Princes perſwade themſelues, if they ſuffer idolatrie in the place where hee hath put his name, hee will bee gone from them and the place. It is an Athieſt-like conceit of carnall wretches, and groſſe Papiſts (as I hauehave heard from ſome of them,) That a man may be ſaved by any religion, as though God would be pleaſed with any thing.
The third reaſon may be taken from the office of the Magiſtrate, or ſupreme power, whoſe office as it is to eſtabiſh true Religion, and to maintain it; ſo he muſt extirpate the falſe. Moſes beate the golden Calfe to powder; Ezechiah brake the brazen Serpent; Ioſiah and Iehoſhaphat, plaid their parts in this; and where they left any relict it is (deſervedly) laid upon them as a fault: but the high places they took not away. That point of ſeparatiſm againſt this is very unſound, whereby they would abridge the power of the Magiſtrate in reforming of religion. Their evaſion likewiſe, from the inſtance of the Kings under the Law, is of no worth: for Chriſt himſelfe as a King reformed the Temple, Sic Chryſoſtom & Auguſtini.and that as the Learned obſerveth two ſeverall times; firſt, at the beginning of his courſe, Ioh. 2; and laſtly at, or toward the end of his courſe, Non verbis ſolum ſed verberibus etiam. Eſa. …9.33.Math. 21.12, not onelyonly by words, ſaith Cyril, but by ſtrokes alſo, did he reform the abuſes, and that as a Magiſtrate, as all the Learned obſerue. Yea, that Evangelicall Prophet fore-telleth, that Kings under the Goſpell, ſhall be nourſing fathers, and Queens nourſing-mothers to the Church. Now fathers and mothers muſt as well abandon that which is naught from their children, as maintain that which maketh for their good. But ſince it doth relliſh too much of Anabaptiſme, I would hauehave them let it goe. Hence likewiſe that groundleſſe reaſon, againſt the truth of the Churches of England, falls to the ground: that they are falſe, becauſe they had no call but inforced conſtraint by the ſword of the Magiſtrate: the Magiſtrate, as I hauehave proved, in abandoning falſe worſhip, and eſtabliſhing the true worſhip, doth nothing but what his place injoynes him: if hee be tyed to the former, he is tyed to the latter, Contraia ſunt ſub eodem genere.becauſe contraries are under one, and the ſelfe ſame logicall genus: Neither by this means (as they miſtake) were the Churches called; but by the pains taking of the Miniſterie: Witneſſe that courſe taken both in the raign of K. Edward, and in the beginning of the raign of Q. Elizabeth; would they but in ſobriety difference the weakneſſe of being, from the nullity of being; and the purity of a thing, from the truth of a thing, they ſhould come off the quick-ſands whereon they hauehave ſet themſelues. The judiciouſly ſincere, neither for fear, favour, gain, or any by reſpect, makes their Churches worſe or better then they are indeed; neither doe they attribute more or leſſe to the Magiſtrate then is due: Est vindex utriuſque tabulae.And as he is the Protector and Acquitter of both the Tables from abuſe; ſo let him hauehave his due, but let him look to doe his due, and let him not hearken to thoſe Matchivilian heads, who giuegive too much to him, as the former giuegive too little, perſwading that he may tolerate any religion ſo it be for his profite. Matchiavil relig. Maxim. 2.A more dangerous Principle then this, is not hatched in hell; and whatſoever Prince is perſwaded of this (as one faith well) will in the end proue a very mocker of all religion. D…ſcourſe againſt Match.Nature it ſelfe will evince the falſhood of this poſition: for as Nature teacheth that there is a God: ſo likewiſe that there is but one God (for otherwiſe hee could not be perfect, ſince perfection and unity are reciprocall) by juſt conſequence then it muſt neceſſarily follow, that there muſt be but one Religion, and that of Gods own appointment.
Some Civilians, who (for the moſt) are too much Matchiavalized, loving the profits better then the Law, labours to palliate this with utilitie, matter of fact, and neceſſity: And for inſtance they bring Sultan Solyman the great Turke (a fit example indeed) who being moved by the Mufty, (or chiefe Pope) and the Cadileſheiri (or Arch-prelates) together with ſome of the Baſſaes, to abandon the Chriſtians, Iews, and all of diverſe religions; or otherwiſe to force them to Muzilmanize, that is, to profeſſe Turciſm: The Turke looking out at a window, pointed them to the variety of the flowers in the garden; whereunto (ſaith he) I compare diverſities of religions in my Dominions, which are rather uſefull then hurtfull, ſo they liue in obedience. The like, they tell us of Alexander, Severus, Traian, and others: but what be theſe to Chriſtian Kings and Rulers, who hauehave not ſo learned Chriſt? They muſt walk by Lawes and not by Examples; neither muſt God looſe the leaſt jote of his honour, for their greateſt gaines. As for neceſſity, in regard of diſturbance, all wiſedom is to be uſed in avoyding of it, and all faire meanes uſed to reduce them to the truth: but diſturbing muſt not bee avoyded with ſinne. It is a clauſe worthy the obſervation, and by the Popes themſelues placed in the Canon right, though not obſerved, Reg. 1. de Regiminis num. 6.but ill abuſed; That it is far better that offence or diſturbance ſhould come, then the leaſt truth ſhould be forſaken. Is a King a nourſing father, and will he ſuffer a plaguy or leprous childe to be in the houſe, or lye in the bed with his childe that is ſound? Will he ſuffer poyſon to lye ſtrawed about, where his childe may reach it? This were to murther his childe, and not to play the parent to it. Will a King ſuffer forraign Kings to erect their Lawes in his Dominions, and permit his ſubjects to obey, ſome one, and ſome another? No, hee would ſcorn it, and hold them Traytors that ſhould motion it: and will he put that upon God, and force him (as it were) to bear, that he will not bear himſelfe? Surely, the Lord will not bear it.
It was a princely part, and a royall reſolution, worthy the imitation in Edward the ſixth, a Sun…ſhine over-clouded by the ſinnes of this land in the very riſing: hee being requeſted with his Councell by Charles the fifth, then Emperour, to ſuffer the Lady Mary his ſiſter, to hauehave a Maſſe in her houſe; the Councell ſitting about that and other things, ſent D. Cranmer, and D. Ridley to perſwade the King to grant it. When he had heard what they could ſay; he ſo learnedly and grauely did refute it, out of the word of God, that with aſtoniſhment their mouthes were ſtopt. Then they fell to him with falſe grounds of policy; as the looſing of the Emperours favour, the hardening of his ſiſters heart, the diſcontenting of Popiſh ſubjects: to whom he replyed; that they ſhould content themſelues; for hee would ſpend his life and all that he had, rather then agree or grant to that, which he knew certainly to be against the truth. Yet for all this they would not leaue him, but preſſing him further, he fell a weeping, and willed them to let him alone; Fox. pag. 1179.Hee had cauſe to weep indeed, but they greater: Where they ſhould hauehave preſerved him from ſinne, they were made the meanes to corrupt him. The Prelates, and pleaders for Conformity, hauehave no great reaſon to brag of theſe men, (as they were Biſhops not of Gods making,) for whilſt their heatts were deceived, and their eies vayled with the bewitching honours, and glorious ſhewes of Pabel, againſt the light of knowledge; they proved, as you ſee, enemies to the croſſe of Chriſt; therefore God puld them out of their rags, and caſt them in the Furnace, and then they proved his friends indeed; and ſo may ſome Prelates proue, if God bring them to the ſtake: But to the matter; for all that they could doe, ſuch was the zeale of that holy Saint and happy King; that Lady Mary could hauehave no Maſſe at that time.
To conclude this reaſon, men would hauehave thought, that the union of Britains Kingdomes would hauehave cut ſhort the increaſe of Babel his Kingdom; and that the Foxes ſhould hauehave been forced, either to change their skins or holes: but we ſee, for our ſinns, by neglect of authority, that, to the diſhonour of God, the defacing of his Goſpell, the griefe of his people, and indangering of life, crown, and dignity, they are ſo hugely increaſed in both Kingdoms and in Ierland, that, in their own conceit, they are grown too hard f… us: it is moſt juſt with God if we ſpare the Cananits, that the Cananits ſhould vexus.
The fourth reaſon may be taken from idolaters, who to our ſhame are zealous of their falſe worſhip. The Lord may juſtly upbraid us with ſuch, as he did his people Iſrael; hath… nation changed their gods, Ier. 2.11.which are yet no gods? but my people hauehave changed their glory for that which doth not profit. So the Lord may inquire of us, whether heathen Rome, and Antichriſtian Rome, do tolerate any worſhip but that which is of their owne appointment. The Laws of old Rome, forbade any ſtrange Gods to be worſhipped amongſt them, that is, as Tully expoundeth, Cic. de leg.privatim adſcitos, of mens private device; but by the Senats publique appointment: ſo new Rome is as ſtrict, in that they will hauehave no mixture but of their own making; inſtance the Tridentin excommunications; witneſs likewiſe, with many others, the Doctors of Doway, upon the Lords forbidding of mixtures of ſeed, Lev. 19.19.cattle, and garments: here all participation (ſay they) with heretikes, and ſchiſmatickes is forbidden. Philip of Spaine ſaid, he had rather hauehave no ſubject, then ſubjects of a divers religion: and out of a bloudy zeale, ſuffered his oldeſt ſonne Charles to be murthered by the cruell inquiſition; becauſe he ſeemed to favour profeſſion, for which, Non pepercit filio ſuo, ſed dedit pro nobis. Hieron. Catina.that mouth of blaſphemie the Pope, gaue him this for his panagyr, that he had not ſpared his owne ſonne but had given him for them.
As old Rome, called the Chriſtian religion, a new religion; ſo new Babilon calleth the ancient trueth a new religion, or hereſie; and therefore they hold it a damnable thing, to hauehave any thing to doe with it, expecting but a day when they may race out the remembrāce of it: As for our drawing nigh unto them in ſuperſtitious rites; they flout us to our face, and tell us in a bravado, that let us come as nigh to them as wee will, they will not come one haires breadth nigh to us; yea they aſperſe our religion with this, Quo vadis pag. 13. Heylin. pag. 249.that if it were true wee would never bland it. How bitter then is the friut of D. Hall, his correſpondencie with poperie, for which he pleadeth in his treatiſe of travells, and urged hard for conformitie with popiſh ceremonies, by Heylin in his Geography. As for the Papiſts applauding of our leiturgie (as he ſpeaketh there) it is but a ſorry prayſe to it; when they reckon with him, they will pay him for this, as they doe in the Epiſtle to Spalatoes recantation (where belying him falſly with the name of an unlearned Miniſter) they flout him for his bragge, In the honour of the maried clergie. pag. 55.that the Engliſh Church was honoured with a Dalmatian pall put upon a Bandogg indeed. I know the Doctor knoweth them well enough, and that there is no peace with Rome, who hauehave ſworne themſelues deadly enemies to the goſpel and the Profeſſors thereof. It is the oath of the Kinghts of the holy Ghoſt, ordeyned by Henry the third of France, Anno 1570. that they ſhould perſecute the Hugonits.
Now I come to the laſt argument, which is, the evill enſuyng upon the toleration of any falſe religion. The Lord telleth the Iſraelits that if they deſtroy not all the idols of the Canaanits, that his angerſhould be kindled againſt them, Deut. 7.4.and he would deſtroy them ſuddenly. How angry was God with Iehoſaphat, for hauing any thing to doe with idolatrous Achab: therefore he rebuketh him ſharply, & threatneth him fearfully by the mouth of Hanani the Seer; 2. Chron. 19 2.ſhouldeſt thou helpe the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord: therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. And falling in the ſame fault againe in ioyning with wicked Ahaziah King of Iſrael; he telleth him by the mouth of Eliezer; becauſe thou haſt joyned they ſelfe with Ahazia, the Lord hath broken thy workes. 2. Chron. 20 37.If the Lord were thus angry for joyning in civill affaires, how angry would he hauehave been if he had admitted their idolatry, or matched with them?
The moſt part of the Kings and great ones, Applicatiōthey eyther forget God altogether, or they thinke he is not the ſame God. I would therefore hauehave them to caſt but their eyes upon examples of later times, and ſee how the Lord hath met with tolerators of falſe religion. Henry the fourth of France begun well, but he held not out; whoſe tolerating of others (though upon extremitie,) and imbracing of popery, for a kingdom, though from the teeth outward; cauſed the Lord (as one ſaid well to him) to ſmite first at his tongue, wherewith he had denyed him, and at laſt to ſmite at his heart, by one of the furies of the ſame helliſh religion, which for the world, he was content for a time to tollerate. How did Q. Mary pay Cranmer and Ridley, for pleading ſo hard to the King, that ſhe might hauehave a Maſſe. Men muſt not thinke, firſt to ſerve their owne turnes, and then to ſerve Gods turne; to goe on with policie (making religion dance attēdance to it, which indeed ſhould ſerve religion) is to ſet the Aſse upon Chriſt, and not Chriſt upon the Aſse. The diſturbance, and diſtraction, of the Germanes, which weakeneth them exceedingly againſt the common enemie; ariſeth eſpecially from the toleration of diverſitie of religion. No thing (as one ſaith well) doth more combine the minds of men together, then unitie of religion: and nothing more diſ-ioyneth them, then diverſitie of religion. And it were good (me thinke) for the united Provinces, to make up their union with unitie of religion. And I may ſay boldly upon my former grounds, made good by inſtances, that they indanger themſelues moſt by toleration of diverſitie of religion. Beſides the multitude of idols in their houſes, whereof they make no bones, (though thereby they keep life in Poperie) what a confuſed chaos of hereſies, what a State renting breach of Schiſmaticall diviſions, with a hotch-potch of opinions are to be found with them: wherin to their blemiſhes they are holden the Anteſignans, or ring-Leaders through the world; ſo that it is growne to a proverbe, If a man had loſt his religion, he might find it at Amſterdam. Which proverb. I think may rather be inverted thus: If a man bring any religion to Amſterdam, he had beſt take heed he looſe it not; for reaſon and experience makes this poſition good; that a place of oppoſition is not ſo dangerous to Religion, as that place where for Religion, every man may doe what he list. They muſt not think that their manner of government, or neceſſitie of trading, or any other thing, will ſerue to tolerate this toleration, againſt the Law of God and nature: the office of the Magiſtrate, the example of the enemy, and the evill enſuing on it, I wiſh they may obſerue and ponder; together with the aim of their cruel enemy, (who looketh for more advantage out of this evill, then out of any other thing.) Where there be many Apes, there be but a few men: Many weeds, a little corn: So a ſmall deale of true religion, where is ſo much diverſity of religion. Where there is a Cachexia, or evill habite of humours, there is but a little good bloud; ſo an evill habit of corruption, taketh away the life of true Religion, in which indeed conſiſteth the life of true policy. I pray God they may look to it; and that he would open our hearts from the head to the foot, to look to it at home, where Popery is as freely practiſed, as if it had publique toleration, and that by connivency, which God will not winke at.
And becauſe matching with Idolaters, ſetteth up the greateſt gate to idolatry; and by conſequence layeth us open to Gods heavy wrath, as God himſelfe doth witneſſe: Deut. 7.4.They will turne away thy ſonn… from following me, that they may ſerue other gods: ſo will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and deſtroy you ſuddenly; We muſt ſhut that floud-gate if we will not hauehave the plague come in and conſume us. I wonder how men can hold up their faces to ſpeak for ſuch Matches. They are firſt flatly againſt the Word, 2 Cor. 6.12be not unequally yoked; which the Doctors of Doway quote in their Marginall note upon Levit. 19, to condemn all matches with ſchiſmaticks and hereticks: For confirmation whereof they cite Theodoret. Secondly, the Lord taxeth ſuch Matches as a high meaſure of ſin, inſtance in Ahab, of whom it is ſaid; as if it had been a light thing to hauehave walked in the waies of his father, 1 King 16.31.hee took to wife Iezabel who ſerved Baal. Thirdly, of the evill effects of theſe Matches; we need not goe no further then our own Nation. It is reported in our Hiſtories of Vortigern, who Anno 450, at the perſwaſion of Hengist, brought in a multitude of Saxons, and marryed Rowen daughter to Hengiſt: Intravit Satanas in cor eius Math. Weſtmonaſterienſ pa. 156.of whom it is ſaid, that the devill entred into his heart; becauſe, being a Chriſtian by profeſſion, he matched with an Infidel, which was a plague to himſelfe, and his, and all the whole Nation. As for that Countrygentleman Moderator, I will ſay no more but this, that he maketh a pretty ſhew, if there were no Bible: but of the two places he quoteth thence, the laſt marreth all that he hath done: 2 Chr. 28.9For ſure it was a part of Davids admonition to Salomon, that in ſeeking the Lord he ſhould ſhun and abhor all Idolatrous Matches; for David hated all thoſe that held of ſuperſtitious vanity. And as Salomon forſook the Lord in this croſſing Gods command, and his fathers counſell, ſo he and all Iſrael ſmarted for it. I am ſure that this place well underſtood, and well applyed, is worth all the reſt that he hath ſaid: Yea, if his moderation be but laid in the ballance, with principles of humane policie, it will be found lighter then vanity: And if he know no more of the Spaniards nature, practiſe and projects againſt us, then he hath delivered, he is but a Country Moderator indeed. I would but intreat him to take notice of the judgement, of as wiſe, as great, and as good a King as any lived in his age; concerning matching with the Spanyard. Lewis the 12, of France, who for his goodneſſe was called pater patriae, being much importuned by Anne his Queen, Ex lib. facetè dictorum. Commentar. Aenae Silvii de dicts ac factis Alphonſ.to match his daughter Claudia (after wife to Francis of Valois) to Charles the fifth, ſon to Maximilian, made this wiſe anſwer, You may as well deſire (ſaith he) the Cat and the Mouſe to agree in one, intimating thereby (ſaith the Authour) that it was impoſſible for the Spaniſh and the French at any time to agree; and all men know it is leſſe poſſible, for many reſpects, for the Engliſh and Spaniſh to agree, eſpecially as things goe now. If he would peruſe Guicciardine but a little; whom he citeth for their prayſe, he might ſee the Spanyard painted out in his colours; as alſo in other Hiſtories, both forreigne and domeſtick, as in their pride, Atheiſm, Cruelty, Filthineſſe, Fidefragie, Avarice and Beggary: yea, in one of their own Writers, that they are loved of no Nation; and yet we muſt dote upon them. I was taken thus off the way a little, by reaſon of this occurrent, but deſiring of God, that that Match may never be, I return to conclude the point againſt Toleration, with that threatning of Chriſt againſt the Angels of the Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira, if they ſuffered any longer the doctrine of Balaam and Iezabel, which he hated, he would come againſt them, Rev. 2.12.and giuegive them according to their workes: So indeed will he doe with all, both Miniſters and Magiſtrates, that tolerate falſe Religion.