A Scripture Catechism, Chapter 27
Chap. 27. Concerning Souldiers.
Q. IS the calling of a Souldier lawfull?
A. Luk. 3.14. And the Souldiers likewiſe demanded of him ſaying, and what ſhall we doe? And he ſaid unto them, doe violence to no man, neither accuſe any falſely; and be content with your wages.
Q. Muſt Souldiers neceſſarily goe to war at their own charges?
A. No. 1 Cor. 9.7. Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?
Q. May they plunder and carve for themſelves what they pleaſe?
A. No. Luk. 3.14. And he ſaid unto them, doe violence to no man, and be content with your wages.
Q. When Abraham by God's bleſſing on his ſword delivered the oppreſsed, and them who were carried captive, namely, his Nephew Lot, and the King of Sodome, &c. their perſons and goods, did he ſeiſe all for himſelfe and Souldiers, as their own by right of conqueſt?
A. No. Gen. 14.21, 22, 23, 24. And the King of Sodome ſaid to Abraham, give me the perſons, and take the goods to thy ſelfe. And Abram ſaid to the King of Sodome, I have lift up my hand unto the Lord the moſt high God, the poſſeſſour of heaven and earth, that I will not take from thee a thread even to a ſhoo-latchet, & that I will not take any thing that is thine, leſt thou ſhouldeſt ſay, I have made Abram rich: ſave only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eſhcol, and Mamre let them take their portion.
Q. How did the people of God, the Jewes, when they ſtood for their lives, and ſlew thouſands of their enemies in the dayes of King Ahaſuerus, did they take all they could get for themſelves?
A. No Eſth. 9.10, 16. The ten ſons of Haman, the Son of Hammedatha, the Jewes enemy, ſlew they; but on the ſpoile laid they not their hand. But the other Jewes that were in the King's provinces gathered themſelves together, and ſtood for their lives, and had reſt from their enemies, and ſlew of their foes 75 000, but they layd not their hands on the prey. See alſo verſ. 15. but on the prey they laid not their hand.
Q. Ought not thoſe whoſe lives and goods are ſaved to reward the inſtruments of their deliverance, who have jeoparded their lives for them in the high places of the field?
A. Yes. Gen. 14.21, 24. And the King of Sodom ſaid unto Abraham, Give me the perſons and take the goods to thy ſelfe. Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eſhcol and Mamre, let them take their portion.
Q. May we put all to the ſword who ſhall be taken in war?
A. 2 King. 6.22. And he anſwered, thou ſhalt not ſmite them, wouldeſt thou ſmite thoſe whom thou haſt taken captive with thy ſword, and with thy bow? ſet bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink.
Q. VVhat if the caſe be ſo that our brethren forſake the Lord, and become Idolaters, and fall out with us, and there happen to be war betwixt us, and we conquer, how then? how did the Lord's people demean themſelves in ſuch a caſe after a victory, or when they had their brethren in their power?
A. 2 Chron. 28.9, 10, 15. But a Prophet of the Lord was there, whoſe name was Oded, and he went out before the hoſt that came to Samaria, and ſaid unto them. Behold, becauſe the Lord God of your Fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have ſlain them in a rage that reacheth up to heaven. And now ye purpoſe to keep under the children of Judah and Jeruſalem for bond-men and bond-women unto you; but are there not with you, even with you, ſins againſt the Lord your God, &c. And the men which were expreſſed by name roſe up, and took the captives, and with the ſpoile clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and ſhod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and annointed them, and carryed all the feeble of them upon Aſſes, and brought them to Jericho the city of Palm-trees to their Brethren.
Q. What ſay we to the ſeventh of Deut. 2. and chap. 20.16. in relation to the Canaanites; and to the 13 of Deut. 15. in reference to the Apoſtate Iſraelites?
A. Theſe people were by God devoted to deſtruction: the former expreſly; and the other upon evident proof of their breaking Articles with God the Lord of Hoſts.
Q. VVhat means Jer. 48.10: concerning Moab?
A. In caſe God have a worke to doe, ſuppoſe to deſtroy his implacable enemies, the Moabites, if God make known his mind by his Prophets, as to Saul concerning the Amalekites. 1 Sam. 15.3. It muſt be done: if it be, God will reward the executioner, as he did Jehu; if it be not done, he will puniſh the negligent, as he did Saul, and that other mentioned 1 Kin. 20.25, 26.
Q. May a private man, Souldier or other, kill an Idolater, a ſeducer to Idolatry, or a falſe Prophet, or other offender, without being tryed according to law, becauſe of Deut. 13.9. and Zech. 13.3.
A. Deut. 17.6, 7. At the mouth of 2 or 3 witneſſes ſhall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witneſſe he ſhall not be put to death; the hands of the witneſſes ſhall be firſt upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people: ſo thou ſhalt put the evill away from among you i. e. They may be witneſſes againſt ſuch offenders, and be cauſers of their death in a legall way.
Q. Did not Phinehas out of zeale kill Zimri and Cosbi in the act of uncleaneſſe? and is he not commended and rewarded for ſo doing?
A. Either Phinehas was an officer, or had commiſſion from Moſes, the chief Magiſtrate, as the Levites had formerly in another caſe: or he was moved and carried to this execution by a ſpeciall motion and inſtinct of the ſpirit of God. Exod. 32.26, 27. Num. 25.4, 5.
Q. Did not Elijah ſlay the Prieſts of Baal 1 King. 18.40?
A. Elijah was an extraordinary Prophet, wrought many miracles, and at that time God had anſwered him by fire from heaven to conſume his ſacrifice, and to confute the Idolatrous Prieſts of Baal, and this in the ſight of Iſrael gathered together by the command of King Ahab: and poſſibly the King too might be preſent at this time; becauſe in the next verſe, immediately after mention is made of Elijah's ſlaying the Prophets of Baal, it followes verſ. 41. Get thee up, eat and drink, for there is a ſound of abundance of rain: and who knowes but the King might tacitly conſent, if not expreſly and openly, to this execution of Juſtice, and the people might be ayding thereunto; having profeſſedly acknowledged the Lord to be the God, in v. 39. and if the King, and people at leaſt, had not aſſented, and ſome of them aſſiſted, how could one Elijah have ſlayn 400? Beſides, whether he, or they, they did but execute upon them the judgment written, Deut. 13.5. and chap. 18.20. A like execution did Jehu by his Captaines and Guards upon the worſhippers of Baal, 2 Kin. 10.25. And now I deſire all Quakers & Antiminiſte rialiſts, who account the Miniſters of the Goſpel as Prieſts of Baal, would hold their hands from blood, untill all the people be gathered together, and before them it be tryed whether they or we be in the right. Beſides, Elijah the Prophet cal'd for fire from heaven to conſume two Captaines and their fiftyes, 2 King. 1.10, 11, 12. Will any therefore conclude wildly, that we may call for fire from heaven to conſume all the Captaines and their companies, when they come to apprehend us? The Apoſtles were miſtaken in miſapplying this inſtance of Elijah, Luk. 9.55. And therefore no ſo great marvel if light heads be ſoon on fire againſt us from their miſcarrying ſuch a ſparke of truth as this, and therewith (if let alone) hazard to burne to Aſhes the preſent Churches and Miniſters, and think they doe God good ſervice.
Q. Is it not ſaid Rev. 16.6. For they have ſhed the blood of Saints and Prophets, and thou haſt given them blood to drink, for they are worthy?
A. This was a Propheticall viſion of deſtruction to perſecutors; and poſſibly it might be in part fulfilled when Prieſts were adjudged to death, either in Popiſh countryes for ill-living, or elſe according to the Lawes made againſt them by the ſupreme powers amongſt Proteſtants. But what warrant is this for private perſons, & that againſt Law, to fall upon the perſons or eſtates of the true Miniſters of Chriſt? Oh that men would conſider that this Judgment is here denounced againſt men for ſhedding the blood of Prophets and of Saints! and obſerve, there is a diſtinction of Prophets and Saints, and that Prophets are put in the firſt place. Beſides, I ſay further, that the precepts of holy Scripture, not the Prophecies, are to be our guide, and if we follow this light it will guide our feet into the wayes of peace.
Q. Was it required by the Law of Moſes that the Prieſts ſhould be conſulted withall, or made any uſe of, when they went forth to warre?
A. Numb. 10.8, 9. And the ſonnes of Aaron the Prieſt ſhall blow with the trumpets, &c. And if ye goe to warre in your land againſt the enemy that oppreſſeth you, then ye ſhall blow an alarum with the trumpets, and ye ſhall be remembred before the Lord your God, and ye ſhall be ſaved from your enemies.
Q. May Miniſters goe along and encourage their brethren when they are going to fight the Lord's battels, to help the Lord againſt the mighty?
A. Deut. 20.2, 3, 4. And it ſhall be when ye are come nigh unto the Battell, that the Prieſt ſhall approach and ſpeak unto the people, and ſhall ſay unto them, Heare O Iſrael, you approach this day unto battell againſt your enemies, let not your hearts faint, feare not, and doe not tremble, neither be ye terrified becauſe of them. For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you againſt your enemies to ſave you.
Q. Was that a Centurion, or Captain of a 100, of whom the Jewes ſaid unto Chriſt, he hath loved our nation, and built us a Synagogue?
A. Yes. Luk. 7.2. And a certaine Centurions Servant, who was deare unto him, was ſick and ready to dye &c. he hath loved our nation, and built us a Synagogue.
Q. Did there ever a Colledge or company of Prophets live quietly and peaceably by a Garriſon of Souldiers?
A. Yes. 1 Sam. 10.5. After that thou ſhalt come to the hill of God, where is the garriſon of the Philiſtines: and it ſhall come to paſſe, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou ſhalt meet a company of Prophets, coming down from the high place with a Pſaltery, and a Tabret, & a Pipe, and a Harp before them, and they ſhall propheſie.
Q. What will make Souldiers fly before their enemies in a day of battell?
A. Pſal. 78.9, 10, 11. The children of Ephraim being armed, and carrying bowes, turned back in the day of battell: They kept not the Covenant of God, and refuſed to walke in his law, and forgate his works, and his wonders that he had ſhewed them.
Q. VVhat effect had John Baptiſts preaching upon the Souldiers?
A. Luk. 3.14. And the Souldiers likewiſe demanded of him, ſaying, And what ſhall we doe? And he ſaid unto them, Doe violence to no man, &c.
Q. Ought Souldiers to enquire of Miniſters the way of Salvation?
A. Act. 10.22, 23. Cornelius the Centurion, a juſt man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned frō God by an holy Angell to ſend for thee into his houſe, and to heare words of thee. Then called he them in, & lodged them, and on the morrow Peter went away with them.
Q. Doe we ever read that the Souldiers dedicated ought of their ſpoiles to Religious uſes?
A. 1 Chr. 26.26, 27. Which Shelomith and his brethren, were over all the treaſures of the dedicate things, which David the King, and the chief Fathers, the Captaines over thouſands, and hundreds, and the Captaines of the hoſt had dedicated. Out of the ſpoiles won in battels did they dedicate to maintain the houſe of the Lord.