6 Command. vpoiuhe Commandements. 61 the chalenging of anothertovngodlinetfe, but this I hope nomán will fay to bee a good caufe for a Magifirateto admit ofa Combat. Sometimes to avoydeor reuenge Tome great difgrace offered to a man,hebeegeth thus to fight, But a Chnflian man that mull make an acompt at the day of judgement of his life g;uen him fromaboi e; muff !carne to efteeme more oflife, than honour, ( if honourby lawful! meanes may not bee kept)andmore ofGod,and his commaundement,than ofthemboth.Bcfides, the profetfuon of a Chrifttan is to heare cuill and tofuffer cull! though free doe well; and deferue fo : therefore farce (hould we be from yeelding to filch heaves. Sème alleadge that it endethftrife,and therefore is to bec sdtatirted:but to this may feruc the anfwerc to the firff caufe alicaged for it. Arid befides,who knoweth not that howforuer it endeth it betwixt thofttwo., be- caufe the one of them dyeth , yet layeth it the foundation of. eutn deadly hatred in the hearts of all their triendes , feede and pofteritie , fo that for one which is , killed , there ftarteth vp art hundred dtfcontented harts , feeking and following all èccafions of flrife againft their enemies. Therefore in peace and at home how a Chriffian Magillrate may allowe the Combat , we finde no fufticient caufe and 'warrant for the fieldc : yetfomedoothinke it ismette, and that they haue reafon for it,for fay they when two Armies are incamped in battei together , if vpon caules it bee iudged fit not to hazarde the lot e of many , but to commit it to two Cham- pions , either fide agreeing to yecld vpon the ouerthrowe of their man , who 'catr miflike this ? But mre anfwere , that as yet the Combat in it frlfc is not prooued good , but iseuil!: and to doo euill that good may conic ofi;\\e may hot. Againe, in fuch a cafe as this we muff confdet,not only of the men and their Cafe_ tie , binalto of the caufe and his honeflie. The caufe is certainely either good or cuill, either Tuft or vniuif. If it bee good and iuft , then is not the°credite of it to bee laid vpon, one man only to the mocking of iuffice and right : and if it bec cuill and vniuff,then ofa Chriftianmagiiratenot one mans life to bee !pent in it, and for it. Yea but fay they yet further,the partie that bath the good caufe is farm the weaker, and not able to Rand if they once ioyne all together arid.therefdrethìs:other way of two to try ail,is good. And we anfwere alto further, that this;were a marueilous di- ffruff of G ods mercy and power not tollerable in a Chritlian. For if the caufe bee ;good.andmeetc to bec maintayned, then is the caufe the Lorda, the men the Lords; teed:hec (meth not by Bowe and Speare, nor by the multitude ofianhcif,fo that we fhouldeforegaide there , but giueth vie-toxic at,his ;Otto the weaker , and driueth away,as the winde the duf+;vcry'nighty! force affc sbledagaiúfk hint & bis children. Therefore , not turn yet doe I fee a caufe to beare out any combat, if there cc any corruption in into that iuffice: bee n.oe;d9ne -(.,a },yfle,fornetithes al- fo is a eaufe alteadged ) we muff fay as hefaid , committing oar felues and.our Ina:terto God. Vsdce,fera fero, Thatis ,lfee,Ilùffcs,:ItruftinGod,- Andeuenwitha ,girod heart; be readic to beare any thins , rathcrsllan by a thingMhereof I bane no wárranr,to1eekemyfatisfa &ion, t fl,; ) ,;,,; ucft. Why ? what fig you then of Monk st wirbrl :th ?í c ;h t t 4e [iv. I fay it was anexnraordinatie motion inthc heart df;D,auid , wroüghtby lum.Zs. the Lord,vp,on the hearing:of blafphemie again(( God and itan y:not be our imita. Exod.3z. lionanombrethan the fa,f ofPhioees,ofthe Leuitet ,orofE /i,th,w'hiob were all meere 1.King,iß. extraordinarie,and had their warrant by fuel' fpccialsy from the Lord , ai that may not looke it (hall extend to them,if they doe dislike. quelf. Waofnom, of killing ofourfclnes ,is tiro never Anf Much of this matter hashSain&AVsguflive in his fir(boniteofthe:Citicof Cod. And fir(( he reafoneth thus, If Imdas did cuill in hanging himfelfe (which he Chap,s5 thinketh no man will denie)what may,warrant anyrran or woman to lay violft.hands upon thcmfclues? For neuer can any fall in earth to a fowllerfa& , or tow orfeefface in the eyes of God and man. Secondly, faith bee, tìlelawe faith nab,, Thou (ball not kill thy neighbour,Innitìng it as it were to forme, but indefinitely, ?l"houfhaltno ..kU, Chaps G extcn.
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