How to do good to many, or, The public good is the Christians life…How to do good to many, or, The publick good is the Christians life…

I doubt not but it is lawful to fight for our King or Country in a good Cause. As Nature giveth all private men a right of private self-defence (and no more), so the same Law of Nature, which is Gods Law, giveth all Nations a Right of public self-defence, against its public enemies; that is, against any that by his Religion, or his own profession bindeth himself to destroy that Nation if he can, or by open arms, seeketh no less than their destruction: But as few calamities are worse to a Land than War, so much is to be endured to prevent it. It is like a red hot Iron, which Fools lay hold on, thinking it is cold, till it fetch off skin and flesh to the bones, and perhaps set the house on fire. If your Cause be bad, God will not be for you: and he that so taketh the Sword shall perish with the Sword; and if you bite and devour one another, you shall be devoured one of another. And alas thousands of the innocent usually perish or are ruined in the flames, which furious men do kindle: No doubt as suffering a Prison, so venturing in War is a duty when God calls you to it; But in its self a Prison is a far more desirable sort of suffering than a War. Therefore between the danger of the miseries of an unlawful War, and the danger of betraying our King or Kingdom, for want of necessary defence, how cautelous should all sober Christians be?

I doubt not but it is lawful to fight for our King or Country in a good Cause. As Nature giveth all private men a right of private self-defence (and no more), so the same Law of Nature, which is Gods Law, giveth all Nations a Right of publick self-defence, against its publick enemies; that is, against any that by his Religion, or his own profession bindeth himself to destroy that Nation if he can, or by open arms, seeketh no less than their destruction: But as few calamities are worse to a Land than War, so much is to be endured to prevent it. It is like a red hot Iron, which Fools lay hold on, thinking it is cold, till it fetch off skin and flesh to the bones, and perhaps set the house on fire. If your Cause be bad, God will not be for you: and he that so taketh the Sword shall perish with the Sword; and if you bite and devour one another, you shall be devoured one of another. And alas thousands of the innocent usually perish or are ruined in the flames, which furious men do kindle: No doubt as suffering a Prison, so venturing in War is a duty when God calls you to it; But in its self a Prison is a far more desireable sort of suffering than a War. Therefore between the danger of the miseries of an unlawful War, and the danger of betraying our King or Kingdom, for want of necessary defence, how cautelous should all sober Christians be?