The law unsealed

To proceed a little, we shall consider the sin forbidden in this Command, as drawn to these three forementioned heads, r•pin•, furturn, turpe lu•ru•,

R•pine includeth violence of all sorts, both by land, and that either by more petty parties, as robbers, plunderers, &c. or such as are more strong and able to carry their point, as Conquer•rs, General• of Armies, &c. meddling with that which is not theirs, which is robbery in the Lords account, Hab. 1. 6. And by Sea, this is called piracy: It was a true and sharp answer which a Pirate did give to Alexander (as is recorded) who being taken by him, and asked, How he could or durst live that way; replied, He did only what he himself did; save that Alexander bereft •en of kingdoms, •e but of a little of their means: be with more strength on the land followed his point, be with les• upon the sea, Of which Piracy, whether capping or robbing poor innocent Sea▪faring▪mens goods, as it is now used by many, I wish all Capers and their Confederates in all Christian Kingdoms and Common-wealths, would seriously consider, and would to this purpose take notice of what the eminently learned Gro•ius saith in his Book de jure belli & pacit, lib. 3. cap. 18. sect. 2. but more especially sect. 4. where he doth with much reason (whereof he was a great Master) and religion, assert. That when justice, strictly so called, is not hurt, yet a man •ay sin against that duty which consists in the loving of others, and more especially what the Christian law prescribes (which yet here is only corroborative of the moral law, that perfect and perpetually binding Rule of life and manners) so that if it be manifest that such capping, robbing, or spoiling, will chiefly hurt and endamage, not the whole body or generality of the Enemies, or of the King, or such as are of themselves guilty; but the Innocent, and that in such a measure as will thrust them into the very greatest calamities and miseries; wherein to cast even such as are our private and proper debtors, were a merciless and cruel act: But if to all this it be added, that such spoiling or robbing is found to be of no considerable moment or importance, neither to put an end to the war, nor to cut short and consume the public and main force of the Enemy then, and in that case, such gain ought to be accounted unworthy of a morally good man, and more especially of a Christian, as being mad only of the calamity of the times.