Divitis hoc vitium est auri: nec bella fuerunt,
Faginus adstabat dum scyphus ante dapes.
Non arces, non vallus erat; somnumque petebat
Securus saturas dux gregis inter oves.

L. 2. El. 10.

Who was the first that forg'd the deadly blade?
Of rugged steel his savage soul was made;
By him, his bloody flag ambition wav'd;
And grisly carnage through the battle raved.

Yet wherefore blame him? We're ourselves to blame;
Arms first were forg'd to kill the savage game;
Death-dealing battles were unknown of old;
Death-dealing battles took their rise from gold;
When beechen bowls, on oaken tables stood,
When temp'rate acorns were our fathers' food;
The swain slept peaceful with his flocks around;
No trench was open'd, and no fortress frown'd.

Wars which have arisen from the propagation of religion, have never been of such force, as since the Mohammedan law, and Catholic cause, have disturbed nations. Yet certainly, to lay the foundation of religion in blood, is to condemn it, before we teach it. The sword may force nature, and destroy the body, but cannot make the mind believe that lawful, which is begun in unlawfulness. As for those of revenge, I see not but it may be justifiable for a prince, even by war, to vindicate the honour of himself and people; and the reason is, that in such cases of injury, the whole nation is interested, and the reparation is oftentimes more due to the subject, than to the sovereign. Wars of providence may well have a pass: as when princes make war, to avoid war. When they see a storm inevitably rising,

Were

it is good to meet it, and break its force. they to sit still, until the blow be given, they might be undone by their forbearance. As for wars of defence, religion and all the rules of nature plead for them. There are three qualities which military commanders ought to possess; they should be wise, valiant, and experienced. Wisdom in a general, often ends the war, without war. Of all victories, the Romans thought that best, which was the least stained with blood. They were content to let Camillus triumph, when he had not fought. In these times, such conduct is especially requisite, since stratagems and advantages are now more in use than the open and daring mode of warfare. Yet valiant, a commander must be; else he grows contemptible, loses his command, and, by his own fear, infects his troops with cowardice. To the eternal honour of Cæsar, Cicero reports, that in all his military actions, there was not to be found one ito but always a veni: as if he scorned in all his onsets, to be any thing but a leader; always teaching by the strongest authority, his own forwardness, his own example. Wisdom and valour, however, notwithstanding their excellence, are lame, without experience. Let the commander be never so learned, his books cannot direct his designs, in particulars: and though he be perfect in a paper-plot, where his eye has all in view, he will fail in a siege, where he sees but a limb at once: besides, experience puts a credit on his actions, and makes him far more prompt in his undertakings. And, indeed, there is a great

deal of reason, why we should respect him, who, with an unsullied bravery, has grown old in arms. When every minute, death seems to pass by and shun him, he is as one whom the Supreme God has cared for, and, by a particular guard, has defended in the hail of death. It is true, a martial life is tempting to exorbitancy; yet this is more among the common sort, than among those who, by a noble breeding, are able to command. Want, idleness, and a familiarity with scenes of blood, have hardened them to outrages. It was with such, that Lucan was so out of charity:

Nulla fides, pietasque viris, qui castra sequuntur,
Venalesque manus: ibi fas, ubi maxima merces.

Lib. 10.

Nor faith, nor conscience, common soldiers carry :
Best pay is right: their hands are mercenary.

As to weapons of war, they differ much from those of ancient times: and I believe, the invention of ordnance hath mightily saved the lives of men. They command at such distance, and are so irresistible, that men come not to the shock of a battle, as formerly. We may observe, that the greatest numbers have fallen by those weapons, which have brought the contending parties nearest together. Formerly, the pitched field was the trial; and men were so engaged, that they could not come off, till blood had decided the victory. The same advantages are still, and rather greater now, than of old time: the wind, the sun, the better ground. In former wars, the air was ever clear: but now, the use of arms do mist and

thicken it; which, with other disadvantages, may soon endanger an army. Wars are of the same nature as offences, Necesse est ut veniant, they must be; yet, Væ inducenti! they are mightily in fault, who cause them. Even reason teaches us to cast the blood of the slain, upon the unjust authors of it. That which gives the mind security, is a just cause, and a just deputation. Let me have but these, and I shall think this, one of the noblest and most manly ways of dying.

OF PUBLIC SCANDAL.

It is unhappiness enough for a man to be rotten within; but when by his conduct, he casts a stain on a whole society, his guilt will gnaw him with a sharper tooth. All men desire, that by distressing their foes, they may gladden their friend; but he who brings scandal on a church or nation, makes his friends mourn, and his enemies rejoice. One bad man may throw discredit on the warranted and maintained cause of a country. Blots appear more striking in a strict life, than in a loose one. No man wonders at the swine's wallowing in the dirt: but to see an ermine mired, is matter of surprise. Where do vices shew so foul, as in a minister, when he shall be heavenly in his pulpit only? They wound the Gospel, who, preaching it to the world, live as if they thought to go to Heaven some other way than that they teach the people. How unseemly is it, when a grave cassock shall be lined with a wanton reveller, and with

crimes, which make a loose one odious. Surely, God will be severest against those, that will wear his badge, and profess themselves his servants, and yet inwardly side with the devil, and lusts. They tarnish his honour, and cause the profane to jest at his holiness. We see that the prince suffers from the failings of his ambassador; and a servant's ill action somewhat touches the reputation of his master, who can only free himself by delivering him up to justice, or by discarding him; otherwise, he would be considered to patronize his misconduct. Other offences God may punish; but this, he assuredly will,-lest the enemies of the truth triumph against him. For this sin, David received his punishment;—because he had given great occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme, the child must die. Surely, the vices of Alexander the Sixth did mightily hurt the cause of papacy: till then, princes were afraid of bulls and excommunications. What a stain it was to Christendom, for the Turk to be able to pull a Christian king's violated covenant from his bosom, in the war, and present it to the Almighty, as the act of those who professed themselves his servants! Beware how thy actions fight against thy tongue or pen. One bad action will pull thee down more, than many good reports can build thee up. As he who frames the strongest arguments against himself, and then fully answers them, does the best defend his cause: so he who lives strictest, and then foregoes his hold, does most disgrace his patron. Sins of this nature, are not faults, to ourselves alone; but by a kind of argu