A Christian Directory

But if the evil of the Cause be such as the Subject cannot by just and ordinary means discern, then must he come next to examine his Call: And a Volunteer unnecessarily he may not be in a doubtful cause: It is so heinous a sin to murder men, that no man should unnecessarily venture upon that which may prove to be murder for ought he knoweth. But if you ask what Call may make such a doubtful action necessary, I answer, It must be such as warranteth it, either from the End of the action, or from the Authority of the Commander, or both. And from the end of the action, the case may be made clear, that if a King should do wrong to a foreign enemy, and should have the worse cause, yet if the revenge which that enemy seeketh would be the destruction of the King, and Country, or Religion, it is lawful and a duty to fight in the defence of them. And if the King should be the assailant, or beginner, that which is an Offensive War in him (for which he himself must answer) may be but a Defensive War in the commanded Subjects, and they be innocent: Even on the High-way, if I see a stranger provoke another by giving him the first blow, yet I may be bound to save his life from the fury of the avenging party. But whether or how far the bare Command of a sovereign may warrant the subjects to venture in a doubtful cause, (supposing the thing lawful in it self, though they are doubtful) requireth so much to be said to it, which Civil Governors may possibly think me too bold to meddle with, that I think it safest to pass it by; only saying, that there are some cases in which the Ruler is the only Competent Judge, and the doubts of the subject are so unreasonable, that they will not excuse the sin of his disobedience: and also that the degree of the doubt is oft very considerable in the case. But suppose the cause of the War be really lawful in it self, and yet the subject is in doubt of it, yea, or thinketh otherwise; then is he in the case as other erroneous consciences are, that is, entangled in a necessity of sinning till he be undeceived, in case his Rulers command his service. But which would be the greater sin, to do it or not, the Ends and circumstances may do much to determine: But doubtless in true Necessity to save the King and State, subjects may be compelled to fight in a just cause, notwithstanding that they mistake it for unjust:

But if the evil of the Cause be such as the Subject cannot by just and ordinary means discern, then must he come next to examine his Call: And a Volunteer unnecessarily he may not be in a doubtful cause: It is so heinous a sin to murder men, that no man should unnecessarily venture upon that which may prove to be murder for ought he knoweth. But if you ask what Call may make such a doubtful action necessary, I answer, It must be such as warranteth it, either from the End of the action, or from the Authority of the Commander, or both. And from the end of the action, the case may be made clear, that if a King should do wrong to a forreign enemy, and should have the worse cause, yet if the revenge which that enemy seeketh would be the destruction of the King, and Countrey, or Religion, it is lawful and a duty to fight in the desence of them. And if the King should be the assailant, or beginner, that which is an Offensive War in him (for which he himself must answer) may be but a Defensive War in the commanded Subjects, and they be innocent: Even on the High-way, if I see a stranger provoke another by giving him the first blow, yet I may be bound to save his life from the fury of the avenging party. But whether or how farr the bare Command of a soveraigne may warrant the subjects to venture in a doubtfull cause, (supposing the thing lawful in it self, though they are doubtful) requireth so much to be said to it, which Civil Governours may possibly think me too bold to meddle with, that I think it safest to pass it by; only saying, that there are some cases in which the Ruler is the only Competent Judge, and the doubts of the subject are so unreasonable, that they will not excuse the sin of his disobedience: and also that the degree of the doubt is oft very considerable in the case. But suppose the cause of the War be really lawful in it self, and yet the subject is in doubt of it, yea, or thinketh otherwise; then is he in the case as other erroneous consciences are, that is, entangled in a necessity of sinning till he be undeceived, in case his Rulers command his service. But which would be the greater sin, to do it or not, the Ends and circumstances may do much to determine: But doubtless in true Necessity to save the King and State, subjects may be compelled to fight in a just cause, notwithstanding that they mistake it for unjust: