The Holy State, Book 2 · Chapter 19
CHAP. 19. The good Souldier.
A Souldier is one of a lawfull, necessary, commendable, and honourable profession; yea God himself may seem to be one free of the company of Souldiers, in that he styleth himself, A man of warre. Now though many hate Souldiers as the twigs of the rod Warre, wherewith God scourgeth wanton countreys into repentance, yet is their calling so needfull, that were not some Souldiers we must be all Souldiers, dayly imployed to defend our own, the world would grow so licentious.
He keepeth a clear and quiet conscience in his breast, Maxime 1which otherwise will gnaw out the roots of all valour. For vicious Souldiers are compassed with enemies on all sides, their foes without them, and an ambush within them of fleshly lusts, which, as S. Peter saith, fight against the soul. None fitter to go to warre, then those who have made their peace with God in Christ; for such a mans soul is an impregnable fort: It cannot be scaled with ladders, for it reacheth up to heaven; nor be broken by batteries, for it is walled with brasse; nor undermined by pioners, for he is founded on a rock; nor betrayed by treason, for faith it self keeps it; nor be burnt by granadoes, for he can quench the fiery darts of the devil; nor be forced by famine, for a good conscience is a continuall feast.
2He chiefly avoids those sinnes, to which Souldiers are taxed as most subject. Namely common swearing, which impayreth ones credit by degrees, and maketh all his promises not to be trusted; for he who for no profit will sinne against God, for small profit will trespasse against his neighbour; drinking, whoring. When valiant Zisca, near Pilsen in Bohemia, fought against his enemies, he commanded the women which followed his army, to cast their kerchiefs and partlets on the ground, wherein their enemies being entangled by their spurres (for though horsmen, they were forced to alight, and fight on foot, through the roughnesse of the place) were slain before they could *Fox Acts and Monum pag. 646.unloose their feet. A deep morall may be gathered hence, and women have often been the nets to catch and ensnare the souls of many Martiall men.
3He counts his Princes lawfull command to be his sufficient warrant to fight. In a defensive warre, when his countrey is *In publicos hostes omnis homo miles, Tertull. Apol. cap. 2.hostilely invaded, 'tis pity but his neck should hang in suspence with his conscience that doubts to fight; in offensive warre, though the case be harder, the common Souldier is not to dispute, but do *Amesius. Cas. Conscien. lib. 5. cap. 33.his Princes command. Otherwise Princes, before they leavie an army of Souldiers, must first leavy an army of Casuists and Confessours to satisfie each scrupulous Souldier in point of right to the warre; and the most cowardly will be the most conscientious, to multiply doubts eternally. Besides, causes of warre are so complicated and perplex'd, so many things falling in the prosecution, as may alter the originall state thereof, and private Souldiers have neither calling nor ability to dive into such mysteries. But if the conscience of a Counsellour or Commander in chief remonstrates in himself the unlawfulnesse of this warre, he is bound humbly to represent to his Prince his reasons against it.
He esteemeth all hardship easy through hopes of victory. 4Moneys are the sinews of war, yet if these sinews should chance to be shrunk, and pay casually fall short, he takes a fit of this convulsion patiently; he is contented though in cold weather his hands must be their own fire, and warm themselves with working; though he be better armed against their enemies then the weather, and his corslet wholler then his clothes; though he hath more Fasts and Vigills in his almanack then the Romish Church did ever enjoyn: he patiently endureth drougth for desire of honour, and one thirst quencheth another. In a word, though much indebted to his own back and belly, and unable to pay them, yet he hath credit with himself, and confidently runnes on ticket with himself, hoping the next victory will discharge all scores with advantage.
He looks at and also through his wages, 5at Gods glory, and his countreys good. He counts his pay an honourable addition, but no valuable compensation for his pains: for what proportion is there betwixt foure shillings aweek, and adventuring his life? I cannot see how their calling can be lawfull, who for greater wages will fight on any side against their own King and cause; yea as false witnesses were hired against our blessed Mat. 28.15.Saviour (money will make the mouths of men plead against their Maker) so were the Giants now in the world, who, as the Poets feigned, made warre against God himself, and should they offer great pay, they would not want mercenary Souldiers to assist them.
6He attends with all readinesse on the commands of his Generall; rendring up his own judgement in obedience to the will and pleasure of his Leader, and by an implicite faith believing all is best which he enjoyneth; lest otherwise he be served as the French Souldier was in Scotland some eighty years since, who first mounted the bulwark of a fort besieged, whereupon ensued the gaining of the fort: but Marescal de *Hollman in his book of the Embassadour.Thermes, the French Generall, first knighted him, and then hanged him within an houre after, because he had done it without commandment.
7He will not in a bravery expose himself to needlesse perill. 'Tis madnesse to holloe in the ears of sleeping temptation, to awaken it against ones self, or to go out of his calling to find a danger: But if a danger meets him (as he walks in his vocation) he neither stands still, starts aside, nor steps backward, but either goes over it with valour, or under it with patience. All single Duels he detesteth, as having first no command in Gods Word; yea this arbitrary deciding causes by the sword subverts the fundamentall Laws of the Scripture: Secondly, no example in Gods Word, that of David and Goliah moving in an higher Sphere, as extraordinary: Thirdly, it tempts God to work a Miracle for mans pleasure, and to invert the course of nature, whereby otherwise the stronger will beat the weaker: Fourthly, each Dueller challengeth his King as unable or unwilling legally to right him, and therefore he usurps the office himself: Fifthly, if slaying, he hazards his neck to the halter; if slain, in heat of malice, without repentance, he adventures his soul to the devil.
Object. But there are some intricate cases (as in Titles of land) which cannot otherwise be decided. Seeing therefore that in such difficulties, the right in question cannot be delivered by the midwifery of any judiciall proceedings, then it must (with Julius Caesar in his mothers belly) be cut out and be determined by the sword.
Answ. Such a right may better be lost, then to light a candle from hell to find it out, if the Judges cannot find a middle way to part in betwixt them. Besides, in such a case Duells are no medium proportionatum to find out the truth, as never appointed by God to that purpose. Nor doth it follow that he hath the best in right, who hath the best in fight; for he that reads the lawfulnesse of actions by their events, holds the wrong end of the book upwards.
Object. But suppose an army of thirty thousand Infidells ready to fight against ten thousand Christians, yet so that at last the Infidells are contented to try the day upon the valour of a single Champion; whether in such a case may not a Christian undertake to combat with him, the rather because the treble oddes before is the reby reduced to terms of equalitie, and so the victory made more probable.
Answ. The victory was more probable before; because it is more likely God will blesse his own means, then means of mans appointing: and it is his prerogative to give victory, as well by few as by many. Probability of conquest is not to be measured by the eye of humane reason, contrary to the square of Gods Word. Besides, I question whether it be lawfull for a Christian army to derive their right of fighting Gods battels to any single man. For the title every man hath to promote Gods glory, is so invested and inherent in his own particular person, that he cannot passe it over to another. None may appear in Gods service by an Atturney; and when Religion is at the stake, there must be no lookers on (except impotent people, who also help by their prayers) and every one is bound to lay his shoulders to the work. Lastly, would to God no Duels might be fought till this case came into question. But how many dayly fall out upon a more false, slight, and flitting ground, then the sands of Callis whereon they fight: especially, seeing there is an honourable Court appointed, or some other equivalent way, for taking up such quarrells, and allowing reparations to the party injured.
Object. But Reputation is so spirituall a thing it is inestimable, and Honour falls not under valuation: Besides, to complain to the civil Magistrate sheweth no manhood, but is like a childs crying to his father, when he is onelyonly beaten by his equall; and my enemies forc'd acknowledgement of his fault (enjoyn'd him by the Court) shews rather his submission to the laws then to me. But if I can civilize his rudenesse by my sword, and chastize him into submission, then he sings his penitentiall song in the true tune, and it comes naturally indeed.
Answ. Honourable persons in that Court are the most competent Judges of Honour, and though Credit be as tender as the apple of the eye, yet such curious oculists can cure a blemish therein. And why, I pray, is it more disgrace to repair to the Magistrate for redresse in Reputation, then to have recourse to him in actions of trespasse? The pretence of a forced submission is nothing, all submissions having aliquid violentum in them; and even the Evangelicall repentance of Gods servants hath a mixture of legall terrour frighting them thereto.
Object. But Gownmen speak out of an antipathy they bear to fighting: should we be rul'd by them, we must break all our swords into penknifes; and Lawyers, to inlarge their gains, send prohibitions to remove suits from the Camps to their Courts: Divines are not to be consulted with herein, as ignorant of the principles of Honour.
Answ. Indeed Honour is a word of course in the talk of roring boyes, and pure enough in it self, except their mouths soil it by often using of it: But indeed God is the fountain of Honour, Gods Word the Charter of Honour, and godly men the best Judges of it; nor is it any stain of cowardlinesse for one to fear hell and damnation.
We may therefore conclude that the laws of Duelling, as the laws of drinking, had their originall from the devil; and therefore the declining of needlesse quarrels in our Souldier, no abatement of Honour. I commend his discretion and valour, who walking in London-streetes met a gallant, who cryed to him a pretty distance beforehand, I will have the wall? Yea (answered he) and take the house too, if you can but agree with the Landlord. But when God, and his Prince, calls for him, our Souldier
Had rather die ten times then once survive his credit. 8Though life be sweet, it shall not flatter the pallat of his soul, as with the sweetnesse of life to make him swallow down the bitternesse of an eternall disgrace: He begrutcheth not to get to his side a probability of victory by the certainty of his own death, and flieth from nothing so much as from the mention of flying. And though some say he is a mad-man that will purchase Honour so dearly with his bloud, as that he cannot live to enjoy what he hath bought; our Souldier knows that he shall possesse the reward of his valour with God in heaven, and also making the world his executor, leave to it the rich inheritance of his memory.
9Yet in some cases he counts it no disgrace to yield, where it is impossible to conquer; as when swarms of enemies crowd about him, so that he shall rather be stifled then wounded to death: In such a case if quarter be offered him, he may take it with more honour then the other can give it; and if he throws up his desperate game, he may happily winne the next, whereas if he playeth it out to the last, he shall certainly lose it and himself. But if he be to fall into the hand of a barbarous enemy, whose giving him quarter is but repriving him for a more ignominious death, he had rather disburse his life at the present, then to take day to fall into the hands of such remorslesse creditours.
10He makes none the object of his cruelty, which cannot be the object of his fear. Lyons they say (except forc'd with hunger) will not prey on women and children, *Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 16.though I would wish none to try the truth hereof: the truly valiant will not hurt women or infants, nor will they be cruell to old men. What conquest is it to strike him up, who stands but on one leg, and hath the other foot in the grave? But arrant cowards (such as would conquer victory it self, if it should stand in their way as they flie) count themselves never evenly match'd, except they have threefold oddes on their side, and esteem their enemie never disarmed till they be dead. Such love to shew a nature steep'd in gall of passion, and display the ignoble tyrany of prevailing dastards: these being thus valiant against no resistance, will make no resistance when they meet with true valour.
11He counts it murther to kill any in cold bloud. Indeed in taking Cities by assault (especially when Souldiers have suffered long in an hard siege) it is pardonable what present passion doth with a sudden thrust; but a premeditated back-blow in cold bloud is base. Some excuse there is for bloud enraged, and no wonder if that scaldeth which boyleth: but when men shall call a consultation in their soul, and issue thence a deliberate act, the more advised the deed is, the lesse advised it is, when men raise their own passions, and are not raised by them; specially if fair quarter be first granted; an alms which he who gives to day may crave to morrow; yea, he that hath the hilt in his hand in the morning, may have the point at his throat ere night.
He doth not barbarously abuse the bodies of his dead enemies. 12We find that Hercules was the *Plutarch. in vita Thes…, Pagin. 1….first (the most valiant are ever most mercifull) that ever suffered his enemies to carry away their dead bodies, after they had been put to the sword. Belike before his time they cruelly cut the corps in pieces, or cast them to the wild beasts.
In time of plenty he provides for want hereafter. 13Yet generally Souldiers (as if they counted one Treasurer in an army were enough) so hate covetousnesse that they cannot affect providence for the future, and come home with more marks in their bodies then pence in their pockets.
He is willing and joyfull to imbrace peace on good conditions. 14The procreation of peace, and not the satisfying of mens lusts and liberties, is the end of warre. Yet how many, having warre for their possession, desire a perpetuity thereof! Wiser men then King Henry the eights fool use to cry in fair weather, whose harvest being onelyonly in storms, they themselves desire to raise them; wherefore fearing peace will starve, whom warre hath fatted, and to render themselves the more usefull they prolong discord to the utmost, and could wish when swords are once drawn that all scabbards might be cut asunder.
15He is as quiet and painfull in peace, as couragious in warre. If he hath not gotten already enough whereon comfortably to subsist, he rebetakes himself to his former calling he had before the warre began: the weilding of his sword hath not made him unweildie to do any other work, and put his bones out of joynt to take pains. Hence comes it to passe, that some take by-courses on the high-wayes, and death, whom they honourably sought for in the field, meets them in a worse place.
But we leave our Souldier, seeking by his virtues to ascend from a private place, by the degrees of Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Colonell, till he comes to be a Generall, and then in the next book, God willing, you shall have his example.