The Diseases of the Time, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. That Religion is the true Roote of Valour and Power, against the waking Dreames of the Philosophicall Wizard, and the angry Ruf…ian.
THere hath bin an ancient slander cast vponupon the Christian Religion, and it is now eyther nourished or reuiued, that Christianity begets cowardize and kills fortitude. And that it is a slander, I hope it shall plainly appeare; but in the meane time, I desire the carnall gallant to wipe his eyes clouded with the myst of fleshly Humour, that what doth appeare may also appeare to him, for except he bring sight, it is to no purpose for mee to bring Light. As for the Philosopher hee is so wise already and broad-sighted like the bird of the Night, that if I should perswade him to looke wider and clearer, hee would become blinder by Anger then he was before by Error, and therefore leauing him as being wise, if his owne conceit bee true, I beginne with the description of Fortitude.
True Fortitude, is an habituall strength and resolution of the Minde, which eyther leades a man constantly to a iust and reasonable aduenture of danger; or when he is ouertaken by them, sustaynes him constantly in them. Now this true Resolution doth spring from Reason, and by Reason is brought forth into Action. So is true Valour wise and not blind, for it is the Valour of a Man and not of a Beast.
Then heere are cut off all those rash Braueries, and brutish Valours, that bestow their owners vponupon eueryevery Swaggerer, when hee pleaseth to call for their liues, by some wilde looke or verball Iniurie. Surely the reasonable Man is led into dangers eyther by Diuine prouidence or precept, when GOD bids him vndertake dangers, or bids dangers ouertake him. Hee acknowledgeth no owner of his life but the giuer of it, and he will then onelyonly aduenture it when hee may shew the warrant of the giuer: for he knowes himselfe to bee accountable, and therefore will so carrie himselfe in dangers, that hee may fayrely passe his account. And surely a strange thing it is, because some wilde beast is rude and vnmannerly, therefore some honest and ciuill Man must hazard his Life, or else the Countrie will not be contented: For what hath the ciuill Man done why he should set his life in a ballance with a Russian? If the Ruffian hath wronged him he ought to bee punished, and the wronged ought not to hazard himselfe in an equall subiection to punishment with the doer of wrong; neither because he is wronged in his Name, is it Reason he should bee farther wronged in his Limbes or Life; for in these Recreations the blind sword doth as often punish the wronged as the the wronger. The wager is vnequall to lay the life of a Christian against the life of a Ruffian, and farre more then an hundred to one; and therefore hee may well leaue him vponupon that oddes, and referre him ouer to fight with one of his fellowes which is as well worth the killing as himselfe. If hee rayle giuegive him an admonition for his rayling, and doe thou beeing a Vine beare grapes, though a Crab-tree close by thy side beare crabs. To see a religious Man breake out into an equalitie of Furie with a Mad-man, is iust as I hauehave sometimes seene a dogge of the Land run into the Sea, when hee hath seene a water-spaniell (the Embleme of a Ruffian) to leape in before him; Diuersos diuersa decent. But if you aske wherein this excellent Valour of Christianitie doth expresse it selfe, I will shew foure glorious, vertuous, and comendable kinds of fighting, wherein Christians excell all other, and cannot be matched.
The first is the fight of Confession or Martyrdome, wherein the fire of the Spirit fighteth for God and his Truth, against bodily fire, and all other torments inuented by the spirit of darknesse. And herein is the very strength of God in a chiefe degree expressed, when by the supportation and incouragement thereof, flesh and bloud stands still patiently, yea, ioyfully to be tormented, yea, consumed for his sake who made and redeemed it.
A noble and heauenly courage inspired from God, and ayming to God, who is the beginning and end of all solid worth and excellence. In this fight man riseth aboue himselfe, and being ouercome by the animating spirit, he ceaseth in a manner to bee flesh and bloud, and is all spirit, and the spirit feeleth not torments, neyther is the heauenly fire passiue to the earthly, but actiue vponupon it.
A second fight, is a fight, of Constancie and Patience in the ordinary Crosses and losses of this life, or in those extraordinary which (open Persecution ceasing) cease not to be cast on true Christians by the Law of the first enacted enmity betweene them, and the seed of the Serpent. Philosophers had the applause of their Sectaries, and many times of the People, but a Christian is sure to hauehave the enmity of the world, to whose fashions his course is a professed enmity.
Hee had need of courage not to bee ashamed of Religion among Ruffians, & Mammonists, and Epicures; to whom, not to sweare, not to coozen for profit, not to bee drunke is called a Vice, and the Vice is called Puritanisme. But euen heerein the Spirit of God hardeneth and steeleth his Seruants, that their faces are like Flint, and themselues like brazen Walles and defenced Cities, though otherwise soft in affection, and true professors of meeknesse.
A third fight, is a fight against Lusts and Passions, wherein the Battaile is terrible and difficult, and the Victorie more glorious then a Conquest of the World. Salomon saith, That he which ruleth his desires, is greater then hee that winneth a Citie. And humane Reason hath sayd, that he that ouercomes himselfe, is stronger then hee that ouercomes the strongest walles. And a secret Reason there is that aggrauates the difficulty of this fight, and that is, because with the Armie of Lusts is conioyned an Hoast of Spirituall Principalities and Powers, and he had need of a supernatural courage and power, that must make warre with a King of Spirits. Surely the greatest King of Spirits must bee in vsus to resist and ouercome this lesser King. And indeed, accordingly greater is hee that is in vsus, then hee that is in the World. And if the greater be in vsus, surely then are we greater then they in whom is the lesser.
Now let the Ruffian or Fencerly Gallant talke of his bold aduentures on the grasse and stubble, and let him glory in beeing rashly or foolishly hazardous, but in these subiects of wise valour, he is but a Run-away, and your true Christian is your only man. I will fetch a Boy or a Woman that shall challenge the field of him, and the place of meeting sh…ll bee in a fire, and the quarrell shall be for the honor of his Maker and Redeemer, but I tell you before, there is no hope of the Swaggerer, …hat he will come thither, but if he came there is great hope he will certainly runne away, if hee bee not bound the faster. Yet it is wel knowne that many youthes and women in this fight, hauehave right valiantly aduentured, and giuen away their liues vntounto death.
Againe, for crosses and losses, fetch mee one among all Philosophers and Heathens, that can match Iob for misery and constancie: the greatnesse of his misery, magnifying the greatnes of his constancie, because though it was excessiue, yet it was exceeded by it. And if you examine the third kind of sighting, your Christian hath no fellow, for noble and valiant Conquests obtained against himselfe, and the infernall hoast of tempting spirits. The slaughter of his owne lusts is his continuall exercise, and hee is well skilled in that difficult Art, wherein no Heathen euer could match him, nor any man of one only birth, and that is euen of expelling Generation by Regeneration; the arte of driuing himselfe out of himselfe. Hee sets one foot on the Spirit, and with the other kickes the flesh out of doores, and by spiritual flames consumeth carnall suggestions.
Againe, if the Deuill offer him the Kingdomes of the Earth, he despiseth them; if he threaten to set open the gates of Hell vponupon him, he is confident hee shall not preuaile against him. But take the Swaggerer at this fight, and hee is most commonly a Beast and a Drudge to that Enemy, against whom (indeed) hee should especially fight. Hee is led vp and downe by the Nose like a Swine, or a Beare by eueryevery base Lust and Concupiscence, as a Cup, a Whore, a Play, and a Pipe, and hee durst not but follow them. Y…a, hee is so very a slaue vntounto Lusts, that in s…eed of fighting against them, he fights for them, and the poore counterfeit valour hee hath, is at no seruice readier, then in defence of one of his Concupiscences. Therfore if you meddle with his Harlot or his Cup, his Scabbard is instantly pregnant, and your life, (if you please) may bee at his command.
But to leaue these Duellists, and to come to Conquerours, which is to come from the killers of men to the killers of Mankind; surely in leauing them, I doe not leaue them; for I finde their slauery and basenes, euen in Alexander & Nabuchodonozer. Slaues they are of Drinke, of Ambition, of Pride▪ and thereby most euidently appeares the excellence of Christians, and the basenesse of the sonnes of nature.
The naturall Man conquering the World, is himselfe conquered of his affections; and the Christian Conquerors that which conquers the Conquerors of the World.
But now wee talke of Conquests, perchance some martiall man wil call me into question, because hee findes not heere the commendable kinde of fighting for our Countrey and Nation; or some cunning Arithmetician, that being able to tel foure, finds yet but three of my foure promised kindes of valour.
Wherefore to giuegive an Answere to any such Question, I affirme, that no man hath more Reason to bee valiant in the defence of his Country, or a lawfull cause then a Christian. The greatest abatement of Valour, commonly ariseth from a fearfull apprehension of death. But the Christian hath least Reason of any to feare death, for by it he is sure to gaine the aduantage of an eternall felicitie. And therefore hath he most reason to be valiant.
This beliefe of eternitie, euen a Heathen Poet commended as a principall root of valour, and he commended it in the ancient Brittons, for (saith he) it is a foolish thing among them to be sparing of that life which will returne againe, and he calls them happy in this errour, whereby they are freed from that greatest feare of death. And by common reason, He that beleeues nothing to be beyond life, should feare more to lose life, which is all that he knowes, then another which knowes a second life to follow this, which farre excelleth it.
Againe, as the Christian hath least cause of feare, so hee hath most cause of valour, and where is more cause, there is to be expected a greater effect. Now it doth plainly appeare, that a Christian hath more cause then a Heathen to bee valiant. For besides the louelove of his Countrey, and the preseruation and enlargement of Fame, which are reasons common to both, the Christian hath for his aduantage, the highest Essence commanding him, confirming him and standing before him as his reward. God is his warrant for his action, he is his strength in the action, he is his happinesse if he dye in the action. So many aduantages hath a Christian of a Heathen, and therefore his valour should by so many degrees be more excellent then a Heathen.
Therefore if a Christian be not so valiant as a Heathen, it is not because he is a Christian, but because he is not Christian enough; and no question but hee that is fearefull beeing a Christian, would bee much more fearefull if hee were a Heathen.
For let the Philosopher rack vp his wits to the highest tenters, to see if hee can reach to higher causes of valour then these of a Cristian. I am sure hee can propose no greater reward then eternall felicitie, he can conceiue no higher incouragement then the word of the highest, & he can imagine no valour more full of force and vertue, then that which is infused by the originall Fountayne and Roote of all might and power, who alone is iustly termed the Almighty, and the Lord of Hoasts, and the God of Battailes. Who should be stronger then hee that hath the Author of strength on his side? and who can feare that hath a greater with him then against him? Therefore Paul sendes a chalenge to swords and famines, and persecutions, crying out, if God bee on our side who shall bee against vsus? and though all things bee against vsus, yet wee be sure to bee more then Conquerours through him that loueth vsus. So wee need not to feare except we will feare to conquer.
And indeed the patent of our saluation runnes in those very words; Wee are deliuered from our Enemies that we may serue God without feare. Accordingly Dauid professeth that, because God is on his side, hee doth not feare what Man can doe vntounto him, and he would not be afraid if ten thousand inclosed him. And the true Roote of his inuinciblenesse hee discouers in the eighteenth Psalme, which is this, Because hee is backt and supported by the Deity. And since I am now met with him, I will set him foorth to challenge the Ethnickes, to giuegive vsus one like him that being a boy slew a Beare, a Lyon, and a Gyant. Herein I thinke they will bee farre short of Dauid, and it wil be well if they come to his thirties and his threes. And as the Heathen magnanimitie comes short of Dauid, so I thinke will the Doctors Philosophie.
And indeede the Doctour meant to steale away the question, while vnderunder the name of Diuines he intends certaine Scholasticall Rauens, that are themselues growne fearefull with Melancholie, and vnderunder the title of Priesthood picke out the eyes of the sheep, committed to them by an implicite Faith, a slauish Ignorance. They pull out their eyes, and then leade them in the darke, bound vp in the chaynes of scrupulous Superstition and timerous Deuotion. And you know darknesse of it selfe is fearefull, and rayseth vp in a man fearfull Images and perpetuall doubts.
Surely the doctrine of such Diuines is far inferiour to that of the Philosopher. But the Doctour must know (though he professe not to equiuocate, yet) these are but equiuocall Diuines, and from his equiuocall Antecedent, hee shall neuer deduce an vniuocall consequent. Hee might as well goe into the house of a Painter, and beholding there the picture of an eloquent Orator, returne to his schollers, and tell them that hee saw such a man of late, and hee hath the worst vtterance of any man in the Citie.
But renouncing these scrupulous and paynted Diuines, I will hauehave Dauid to be a true patterne of a true Diuine, and let the Doctor take his Character from him, euen of that wh…ch is written, both of him and by him, and then let him consider whither there bee a more noble, puissant, confident, and free spirit then that of Dauid. His Valour hath before beene appr…oued, and his cheerfulnesse in vertue and bolde confidence, are readie to be manifest. Hee danceth before God with all his might, the lawes of God are sweeter to him then honie, and more precious then gold, and he is confident beyond exception, for hee calls God his Rocke, his Fortresse and his Refuge. His faith and holinesse make him familiar with God, and hee is bold to fetch from mercifull Omnipotence whatsoeuer he wanteth; Now from this Diuine let the Doctour fetch the patterne of Diuinitie, and see if hee can ground thereon the basenesse and deiection of his Monkish superstition. But the Doctors Epistle had forgotten the Doctors own Chapter of Pietie, for the one confuteth the other, while in the Chapter hee sayth, tha… God is not to be imagined as some terrible spectre, whose imagination frighteth men from him. Againe, That Religion setleth a man in peace and rest, and lodgeth in a free liberall and generous Soule. Againe, That the office of Religion is to reunite Man to his first cause as to his Roote, wherein so long as hee continueth firme and setled, hee preserueth himselfe in his own perfection.
Now if this Doctrine bee more truly the doctrine of the Diuines then his, then hath hee vainly condemned it; for this doctrine agrees excellently with Nobilitie and Puissance, and reiecteth basenesse and feare.
This therefore I thinke was not meant to bee censured by him, but it remaynes the… that the Religion of the Diuines which he censured was not his Religion, but some other, and so they were not both Catholikes; or else this difference arose because he could not knit his diuers common-places into an harmonious Vnitie. And indeed eyther of these may be true. For first where hee discourseth of Superstition, hee strongly consutes the practicall religion of the Church of Rome, and so seemes to differ from them, though hee after creepe againe into their goodwill, vnderunder the couert of commanding an obseruation of Ceremonies, Customes and Ordinances. Secondly, I hauehave heard it constantly affirmed in France by a Gascoigne, Montagnes country-man, and one that was himselfe an Author, that his Doctor was a great acquaintance of Montagne, and that his booke was Montagnes pieces brought into a Methode. And sure I cannot much blame the Doctor for not doing an impossibilitie; for it is a matter neere impossible, handsomly to inlay all the …agged pieces of Montagne, …nd to reduce his infinite wandrings into the order of a steadie path; for hee seemed altogether to runne after his owne wit, and to take vp whatsoeuer it did let fall; but the wit …t selfe did seldome runne after any Marke, nor walke by any Rule. And so might his Follower by the intricatenesse of the labour, well forget the different colours of some of the pieces, which hee ioyned into one Bodie.
And if we consider but this Chapter of Piety, we may find many contradictions in it. He maketh the Religion of Palestine, (which is the Religion of the Iewes) to teach this belief, that the cutting and punishing of our selues & the massacring of beasts, is a most precious present vntounto God, as if God tooke pleasure in the torment of his Creatures. And yet after, out of the one and fiftieth Psalme, he sayth, That the most acceptable Sacrifice vntounto God is a pure, free, and humble heart, And againe, out of the fiftieth Psalme, Non accipiam de domo tua vitulos. Besides hee sayth, the Iudaicall Religion retayneth many things of the a…ose…us in his first book against Apion writes, that the Egyptians and the Iewes, could not agree because of the diuersitie of their Religion. And Plessis in his 21. chapt. of Christian Religion, shewes that the Oracles of A…o…o and the …ibilles pref…rred the Iew…s▪ as the best worshippers of God.Egyptian Gentile, which is a great blasphemie, eyther in this sence, That the Iewish Religion had any thing in it not deliuered by God himselfe, or that God tooke his copie out of some of that Gentile-Egyptian Religion, thereout to make vp a Religion for the Iewes. And herein is also an implyed contradiction. For hee that commendes the Christian Religion, and condemnes the Iewes Religion as parcell heathen, contradicts himselfe, for the Iewes Religion established by God and the Christians are all one in substance of Faith, and if they differ in the manner, I hope that manner was not borrowed of the Heathen, but the Heathen rather counterfeite the Iewes. Againe, hee speaketh of Religion as of some Arte or Confection, saying, That Religion is so fitted, that it may be respected and had in admiration, yet hee sayth, It is composed of parts, some base, whereat high Spirits doe scorne, and some high and mysticall, whereat low Spirits are offended. So politickely is Religion framed to intrap all men, that it is fashioned to offend all men.
But yet there remains an obiection of the Heathen Martialists, who may tell vsus now as heretofore, That Rome being Hethen raised an Empire, and being Christian lost it. To this I answere that it was not Romes Hethenisme that won it, nor her Christianitie that lost it, but rather it might bee sayd that Christianitie won it, and want of Christianitie lost it. There were three Empires before this, and they being all Heathen arose, and Heathen fell, and why should wee not thinke that this would also fal if it had still beene Heathen.
It hath long bin obserued, that Kingdomes and Empires hauehave *Ier. 27.7.Ages, and Periods aswell as priuate men. And when an Empire shall rise, there comes a spirit of Valour on Armies, and of Heroicall Vertue on Chieftaynes; which the Empire being ripe departeth away, and then are they like Samson when his Lockes are shauen, and Samson is said then to bee like another man. And that Christianity raysed the Empire, it may be iustified in diuers senses. The first is, That God raised this Empire by the vniuersality thereof, to spread his vniuersall and Catholike Truth. The hedges and partitions of the World were broken downe, that Christian Religion might hauehave a free walke throughout the whole World.
Againe, this huge Kingdome was raysed iust to meet with Christs Kingdome, that by the hugenesse of the opposition, the greatnesse of the victorie might bee magnified. The spirit of Antichrist was mounted on this Beast, and fought then in the Emperors, and now fights in the Popes, against Christ & his Church, but the Dragon or the Beast, or the false Prophet may not preuayle, …or the Kingdome is the Lord Christs, and his is glory, and honour, and dominion for euermore. This resisting and aduersarious Empire, while it fought against Christ it serued Christ, while it killed his Church it increased his Church, and while it fought against Religion, it became a meanes to spread and inlarge it. And that it was rather Heathenisme then Christianity that lost the Empire, may appeare by the Stories of the Degeneration, both of the Church and of the Emperours Pride, Couetousnesse, contempt of Religion, deseruing the remouall of the Candlesticke, which long afore was threatned to the Church of Ephesus, and in them to any other like parts of the whole Church. The time and worke of the Empire was expired, it had fought against Christ and was ouercome by it, and now (the sinnes and corruptions ioyntly requiring it) he that hindred was to bee taken away, euen the Emperour, and the man of Sin was to step in his place, by whom Antichrists second part was to be acted. And against him also doth the Kingdome of Christ preuayle, though fighting against Christ by the old weapons of the Heathen Empire, euen fire and sword. And now small States and Kingdomes are animated & strengthened by the hand of Omnipotence, so that they stand the shock of his greatest fury; yea, they gaine and grow vponupon him.
A little bordering Country, that is but a piece of a former state, and the most despicable piece of it, standing in water, and therefore participating, left of the actiuity of fire, yet …ow by the disposition of the Almightie, partakes of the wisdome and power of a fierie Spirit, and hath often consumed both the aduerse policies and forces, preseruing mightily; yea, in larging that Religion, which should hauehave beene taken from it by the cruell talents of the Inquisition. Wherfore be wise, O ye Kings, and be instructed O yee Iudges of the Earth. Kisse the Sonne and resist him not, lest he be angrie, and ye perish in the mid-way. Make not your Hoasts and Nauies the vaine Bulwarkes of declining Antichrist, neyther wrap your selues in the ruines of him that is appointed to fall. When Christ will ouercome an Hoast, is contemptible before him, and the greatnesse of your opposition can only magnifie his Victory and your owne ruine. And bee yee rather of that ioyfull side, which shall say with triumph, It is fallen, It is fallen; Then of that sorrowfull company, that shall cry with sorrow, Alas, Alas; that great Citie, clothed in fine Linnen, Purple and Scarlet.