The Looking Glass of the Holy War, Dedication 3
TO THE HONOVRABLE AND HIGH COVRT OF PARLIAMENT.
Right Honourable, and moſt Worthy;
AS many things fall in, between the end, and the putting of it in execution: So whilſt J was in hand with this Treatiſe, by the providence of God, and his Majeſties call, you were aſſembled in the Honourable and High Court of Parliament. Which Aſſembly we pray, may be like that aſſembly of David and his States in Hebron; where firſt they made a covenant before the Lord, and thereafter went to warre againſt the Iebuſites, and then againſt the Philiſtims, and overcame them both. 2 Sam. 3.15.Strike your Covenant then with the Lord, and your warre ſhall ſurely proſper. For the diſcoverie of your Adverſaries (which is a main principle of warre) you need not a Vox populi, you hauehave vivam vocem Principis: OnelyOnly this little Work, which I humbly commend unto your view, I wiſh may be, vox tubae, to your martiall deſignes: a perſpectiue it is, whoſe optic medium is the word of God, which will make you perfect to this, and every good work. As for order, I hope your Honours are adviſed to take a ſtrict order with the enemies of your own Houſe, that is, the Draconarie companies of Engliſh Romanists, whom I need not deſcribe to you; for you know them by their colours; onelyonly they may be noted by this briefe Deſcription; They are the Popes Aſſes, the Devils Dromidaries, the Spaniards familiars, and the Ieſuits Cabinat. Ere you goe to war, doe as Joſhua did with the fiue Kings whom he couped up in a caue, that they ſhould not make head with recollected forces. Ieſ. 10.Shut up the Amorits, and roule the ſtone to the Caues mouth, and then fear not but you ſhall deal well enough with Amale…k. 2 Sam. 5.As David made ſure the Jebuſites that dwelt in the prime place of his Kingdom, before be went against the Philiſtims; doe you ſo with theſe Iebuſites that dwell in the heart of your Countrey. David took in Metheg Amath, by which is meant Gath; the word ſignifieth, the bridle of Amath, or of the hilly Tract: 2 Sam. 8.For being the ſtrength of the Philiſtims, David made it a bridle to them. So take in Gath; that is, the ſtrong Fort of our home Philiſtims, and it will be a bridle to our enemies abroad. The Princes of the Philiſtims would not truſt David, but cauſed the King to ſend him back from the battell, leaſt he ſhould betray them to his Maſter Saul: Cap. 29.and ſhould the Princes of Iſrael truſt the Philiſtims, who hauehave devoted themſelues to Babel, and their Country to their Cyrus (as they call him?) You are the Eyes and Armes of our Soveraign, the Body of the land, the Councell and Strength for warre, the Sword and Shield of Gods diſtreſſed cauſe, the Terrour of the Adverſary, the rod for the wicked; the Sithe to mowe down ſinne: and in a word the very Helm of the State: Then as you look to hauehave honour here, and glory hereafter, Stand faſt, and quit your ſelues like men for God and your Country. As the Greek Ephori, the Roman Senators, and the States of Venice to this day, doe lay down themſelues, and all private paſsions of fear, flattery, and the reſt, before they enter the Senate houſe, Vt Reipub. ſerviant; ſo you muſt be all the Common-wealths, and none of your own. You had need of the Senatory ornaments, enumered by Iethro, eſpecially Wiſedom and Courage: The greateſt good, hath the greateſt oppoſition. A Crown cannot be had without contending for it; you hauehave not onelyonly the weale of Caeſars Crown, but of Chriſts Crown, to look to; a jealous care of the latter, is the ſafety of the former: for they who honour God, God will honour them. As the externall evils of the body (ſuch as heat, cold and wounds) may well be prevented, and eaſily cured; but internall evils (as ſickneſſe, vlcers, and the like) are not commonly fore-ſeen nor eaſily cured; ſo the open enemies of State are quickly diſcovered, and eaſily oppoſed, but the mothes and cankers, ulcerous plagues, and hecticks, ariſing out of the State it ſelfe, are ſo hardly diſcovered till they be paſt cure, that they become the ſpoyle of policie, and opprobrie of States-men. Polib. lib. 11. bist.Of thoſe inward evils hauehave a ſpeciall care, and keep cloſe to your rules without ſlaviſh fear: And howſoever it fall out, it is greater cunning, and matter of more commendation in the Phiſitian to make a true uſe of his rules, then to eure the Patient. As tediouſneſſe is not for ſuch a preſence, nor weakneſſe worthy to direct ſuch a Senate, I deprecate what may be found amiſſe, and with this cloſe I ſhut up all; Doe you what you ſhould, and let God doe what hee liſt.
Your Honours in all poſsible ſervice. A. L.