The Miseries of War, Text
THE MISERIES OF VVAR. By a lover of TRVTH AND PEACE:
And by him Dedicated to all that are ſuch.
REVEL. 13.10.
He that killeth with the ſword, muſt be killed with the ſword.
Printed for Nicholas Vavaſor. 1643.
THE MISERIES OF VVARR.
WHen I conſider our late loſt happineſſe of a bleſſed Peace, and the heavy preſſures of this preſent Warre; I find it hard to judge, which of them may bee juſtly called our greateſt affliction: but both being laid together (ſure I am) harder miſfortune nere befell a Nation. And yet I find a ſort of Salamander ſpirits (in what torrid flames of curſed contention nouriſht, I cannot tell) that will admit of nought that ſounds of Peace; but cry downe all accommodation, unleſſe their owne prodigious fancies (conditions worſe then Warre) may be the ingredients.
But let ſuch Jncendiaries take heede leaſt they fall into the Pit that they themſelves have digged: E…cl. 10.8For who may in common preſumpſition be more juſtly charged to be the Authors, and Fomenters of Warre, then ſuch as ſhall oppoſe a Peace? I have beene very inquiſitve to know, what may bee the true ground of this unnaturall Warre; the moſt, and moſt diſcreet, to whom I have propounded that Queſtion, Ingeniouſly confeſſe, they are ignorant of it: Others; that will be ignorant of nothing, and ſcarſe rightly underſtand any thing; will tell you the cauſe as readily, as if they were the Founders of it. Yet I cannot meet with any two of them that concurre in the ſame particular, onelyonly thus farre they agree in the generall, that it is for the maintenance of the Proteſtant Religion, and the Lawes of the Land.
Why, this is pretended on both ſides? But if that bee the quarrell, certainely the Queſtion hath beene hitherto miſtaken, or at leaſt, miſ ſtated; for neither Law nor Religion are any ways oppoſite to Peace.
Warre and the Law are inconſiſtent, for the Law hath its very ſubſiſtence by Peace, whence the rule is, Inter arma ſilent leges, that is, The Lawes are dumbe in time of Warre; and the Prophet David tels us,Pſal. 35.10 that Righteouſneſſe and Peace have kiſſed each other. Now Righteouſneſſe in the Latine Tranſlation is rendred Juſtitia, which is Iustice, and every man, that underſtands any thing, knowes that Right or Iuſtice is the fruit and ende of the Lawe.
And in an other place you may heare the ſame Prophet ſpeaking to God himſelfe, ſaying, Great Peace have they that love thy Law. Pſa. 119.165So you ſee Law and Peace ſtill coupled together. And through the whole Scripture I find no Warring Law, but that which the Apoſtle Paul ſpeakes of, ſaying,Rom. 7.23 I ſee annother law in my members, warring againſt the Law of my minde, and bringing me into captivity to the law of ſinne, which is in my members. And how good this warring law is, you may perceive by the Text. Now for Religion, which is onelyonly the ſervice of God, the holy Scriptures will plentifully informe you, what relation and affinity that hath with Peace. For there you ſhall find God ſtiled, the God of Peace. And againe,Phil. 4.9 2 Cor. 13.. 1 Iſa 9.6. The God of Love and Peace. Our bleſſed Saviour is called, The Prince of Peace. In the Epiſtle to the Gallatians, it is ſaid,Gal. 5.22.23 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, faith, meekeneſſe, temperance: againſt ſuch there is no law. And the ſame Apoſtle in his Epiſtle to the Epheſians, farther ſaith, I therefore the Priſoner of the Lord, Ephe. 4.1, 2, 3beſeech you, that ye walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called: with all lowlineſſe and meekeneſſe, with long ſuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace. And in the ſame Epiſtle, Chriſts Goſpell is called The Goſpell of Peace. God calls his Covenant,Epheſ 6 15. The Covenant of Peace. Iſa 54 10Our bleſſed Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount, pronounces no ſmall bleſſing on the Peacemaker. Bleſſed (ſaith he) are the Peacemakers, Matth 5.9for they ſhall be called the children of God. And the Pſalmiſt tells us, that The Lord will bleſſe his people with Peace. Pſal. 29.11The wiſeſt of men tell us, To the Counſellors of Peace is joy. Prov. 12.20How often are we commanded in the Holy Scriptures,Mark. 9 50 2 Cor. 13 11. 1 Theſ. 5 13 Pſal 122.6 Zach 8.19 …. 34.14. & 1 Pe. 3.1 To have Peace one with another. To live in Peace. To be at Peace among our ſelves. To pray for Peace. To love Peace. To ſeeke Peace and enſue it.
And is God the God of Peace? and doe they not feare his heavy judgements to bee denounced againſt them, and his dreadfull wr…th and indignation to bee ſhoured downe upon them, who ſhall preſume to Preach or Petition againſt a Peace? Is Chriſt the Prince of Peace? and can they thinke themſelves his Subjects, and deſire a Warre? Are the fruits of the Spirit Love and Peace? and can any man thinke himſelfe moved, or inſpired with the Spirit, who ſhall live in hatred, or oppoſe a Peace? Sure it muſt be with that lying ſpirit that perſwaded Ahabs Prophets. 1 Kin. 22.22Is the Goſpell a Goſpell of Peace? Then certainely his Religion cannot bee founded upon that Goſpell, who ſhall not love and ſeeke Peace. Is Peace a bleſſing? Is the Peacemaker bleſſed? and ſhall hee bee called the childe of God? Accurſed muſt he then be, and (it is to be feared) little better then the childe of the Devill, who breathes out nothing but Warre.
But ſome of theſe Botefeus, ſeeking to varniſh over their blood-thirſty deſires with a pretended inclination to peace, ſay, they refuſe it not, ſo as it may be accompanied with truth. Tis well ſaid, I wiſh it were as truely meant. He muſt be a man of a very eaſie credulitie that can aſſent to credit it; for I dare with confidence affirme, and I beleeve the whole Kingdome (beſides their owne faction) will unanimouſly agree, that more lyes and falcities have fallen from the pennes of theſe kinde of men, within leſſe then theſe two yeares, then ever were committed to the Preſſe, ſince Printing was invented.
Indeede, I thinke their deſires of Peace and Truth, are equall; but let ſuch take heede by Ananias and Saphiras judgements.Act. 5.1. &c. And I hope this Kingdome will beware how they credit ſuch Ieſuiticall gulleries, leaſt in ſtead of a pretended truth, we finde a certaine ruine; Were ſuch men enforced to be the actors, which are the greateſt ſticklers for this bloody warre, we had then ſome hopes of a happie peace, and conſequently of truth, ever a better friend to peace, then warre.
We were indeede too happie in our late Peace, which made us forget our God, the giver of that bleſſing, and thereby juſtly called downe, his heavie vengeanee of a Civill Warre, for our ingratitude. We had then, a Land flowing with milke and honey; Exod 3.8. Pſal. 144.14.there was no complaining in our ſtreetes: but each man ſitting under the ſhade of his owne Vine, might without feare eat of his owne figtree, Iſa. 36.16.and drinke the waters of his owne ceſterne. How richly habited were almoſt all rankes and degrees of people? In our Saviours time, thoſe that wore ſoft cloathing were in Kings houſes: Mat. 11.8.but in the time of our late peace, it was to be found almoſt in every peſſants Cottage, ſilkes were the ware of every ordinary perſon; wee accounted him a very meane tradeſ-man, that could not put his wife into a ſilke gowne and a beaver; nay, were not the wives of many Citizens of ordinary trades, habited in as rich Sattin, and bone-lace, adorned with as many orient peales, faire diamonds, and other jewels of value, as might well become a queen? and yet now paradventure would gladly part with them, to be ſecured ſuſtinance for themſelves and families.
How munificent were we in our buildings with ſtately Turrets, ſeeming to threaten the very clouds? many of them already left deſſolate without an inhabitant, and how great pitty is it to ſee ſuch ſtately Fabrickes levelled with the ground? How did we abound in rich furniture, coſtly hangings, couches, bedding, and the like; maſſie plate, and other gallant houſe-hold-ſtuffe, already become a prey to the mercileſſe ſouldiers, even thoſe that pretend to fight for us. What curious gardens, brave orchards, faire meddowes, rich paſtures, and fruitfull corne fields, are now ruined, defaced, and unmanured? Indeede wee did abound in all things that plenty could afford, or curioſity invent; we had health, wealth, pleaſure, profit, now turned to ſickneſſe, penury, paine and mourning. Parents then injoyed the deare pledges of their love, their children; children their loving parents, friends and neighbours mutually happie in each others ſociety, ſo that nothing was wanting to our felicity.
But this bloody tyrant Warre, hath put a period to all our joyes, all our happineſſe. Monſtrum horrendum informe ingens: that huge horrible, ugly Monſter. Horreſco referens, I tremble to ſpeake of it. When David had committed that great ſinne againſt the Lord in numbring the people, and as a puniſhment for it, was to ſubmit to his choice of three heavie judgements, choſe either Peſtilence, or Famine, then that of the Sword, which he knew had no mercy. Let us (ſaith he) now fall into the hand of the Lord (for his mercies are great) and let me not fall into the hands of man. … Sam 24.14Warre is one of Gods greateſt Plagues, his fearefulleſt judgements, his heavieſt ſcourges upon a Nation: for how ugly is the viſage of it? how manifold are the miſeries of it? Eſpecially that of a civill warre, as ours is in this Kingdome.
Man, created after Gods owne image, deſtroying the image of his Creator; Chriſtian moſt unchriſtianly ſlaughtring his brother in Chriſt: nay, Proteſtants linckt by a nearer tye of religion, maſſacring thoſe of their owne Religion: the father moſt unnaturally ripping up the bowels of his ſonne, and the ſonne of the father, a brother beating out his brothers braines; kinſman againſt kinſman, friend againſt friend, moſt barbarouſly and inhumanely butchering one another: here a bullet, there a ſpeare, or Poleax ſeparating the ſoule and body in the very act of wrath and malice: the devouring Cannon heaping the mangled carcaſſes of horſe and man together. What ghaſtly lookes, what hideous ſcreekes, and diſmall groanes, what griſly gaping wounds of dying men, beſmeared with blood and dirt, doe even affright and terrifie the hearers and ſpectators, though their enemies. What out-cries, teares and ſighes by new-made widdowes for their husbands deaths? What mournings by aged parents for their ſlaughtred ſonnes? What lamentation by poore diſtreſſed children made fatherleſſe by warre? What pillaging, plundrings, rapines, murders, maſſacres, by the cruell, barbarous, and bloody ſouldier? No liberty left us of ploughing, ſowing, trafficking, or trading one with the other.
That with the induſtrious and painefull tradeſman, or husbandman, hath with much labour and paines gathered together, to be the ſtaffe and comfort of their age, and to be a portion and proviſion for their children, in an inſtant becomes the prey and ſpoyle of a few mercileſſe men. And all theſe miſeries uſually ſeconded by peſtilence and famine. Let us looke upon the miſerable condition of Samaria, beſeiged by the Syrians, when by reaſon of the warre, the famine was ſo great,2 Kings 6.25. that an aſſes head was ſold for foureſcore pieces of ſilver, and the fourth part of a kabb of doves dung, for five peeces of ſilver. Nay women did eate their owne children, as appeares by a womans complaint to the King of Iſrael. And ſhe anſwered, verſe 28.29.this woman ſayd unto me, give thy ſonne that wee may eate him to day, and we will eate my ſonne to morrow, ſo we boyled my ſonne and did eate him, and ſaid into her on the next day, give thy ſonne that we may eate him, and ſhe hath hid her ſonne.
Let us behold the miſeries of Germany, a Kingdome once as famous and flouriſhing as ours lately was, but hath now ſuffered the miſeries of almoſt 20 yeares warre: where many ſtately Townes and Cities have beene burnt to the ground, women raviſhed even in the very Churches, and after hewen in peeces: mens eares and noſes cut off, and ſtrings put through them, to make hat-bands: holes made in the legges and armes of men, and cords drawne through them, their guts pulled out at their mouthes children toſt on the points of ſpeares; and ſo great hath the famine beene in ſome part thereof, that the people have beene glad to eate dogges, cats, dead men, and all manner of carrion for foode.
Nay let us goe no further then bleeding Ireland, (which now ſuffers for our diſtraction here) and we ſhall finde their miſeries not behinde thoſe of Germany, where after they had beaten out the husbands braines, they raviſhed the wiſe, and then ripping her up being with childe, caſt the childe into the fire: raviſhing maides and women before their parents and husbands faces: driving men and women naked out of their houſes into the froſt and ſnow, where hundreds of them have periſhed with cold and famine, hanging ſome, and with moſt exquiſite tortures, mangling, gaſhing, and miſerably tormenting others, without all ſence of humanitie. And God Almighty knowes how ſoone it may bee our turnes to ſuffer the like, or worſe calamities, unleſſe we endeavour to prevent it, by applying all our diligence, induſtry, and affections towards the procuring of a Peace, while it may bee had. The long continued warre in Germany ſhewes us, Peace is not eaſie to be obtained, when a ſmaller Army then ours, on either ſide, hath beene for many yeares together attempted to be removed, but without ſucceſſe. Neither doth God alwayes bleſſe either the greater or the better ſide with victory. For we have many examples in Scripture where great Armies have beene overcome with ſmaller numbers: and our Saviour himſelfe tells you, that the Galileans whoſe blood Pilate had mingled with their ſacrifices, were not ſinners above all the Galileans, Luke 13.1, 2, 3, 4.becauſe they ſuffered ſuch things; nor thoſe 18. upon whom the tower of Sh…loh fell and ſlue, ſinners above all men that dwelt in Ieruſalem: which ſhewes they are not always the greateſt ſinners, whom God ſuffers to periſh here. Let us therefore uſe all poſſible endeavours for a peace, and for prevention of farther ſhedding of blood; leaſt by lamentable experience we finde our ſelves included within that heavie judgement pronounced by our Saviour, which is, that All they that take the ſword ſhall periſh with the ſword.Mat. 26.52.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Norton, The Miseries of War (1643)