commonwealth; whose councils upon their perpetual wheelings,
marches, and countermarches, create her armies, and whose armies
with the golden volleys of the ballot at once create and salute
her councils. There be those (such is the world at present) that
think it ridiculous to see a nation exercising its civil
functions in military discipline; while they, committing their
buff to their servants, come themselves to hold trenchards. For
what avails it such as are unarmed, or (which is all one) whose
education acquaints them not with the proper use of their swords,
to be called citizens? What were 2,000 or 3,000 of you, though
never so well affected to your country, but naked, to one troop
of mercenary soldiers? If they should come upon the field and
say, 'Gentlemen, it is thought fit that such and such men should
be chosen by you,' where were your liberty? or, 'Gentlemen,
parliaments are exceeding good, but you are to have a little
patience; these times are not so fit for them,' where were your
commonwealth? What causes the monarchy of the Turks but servants
in arms? What was it that begot the glorious Commonwealth of Rome
but the sword in the hands of her citizens? Wherefore my glad
eyes salute the serenity and brightness of this day with a shower
that shall not cloud it.

"Behold the army of Israel become a commonwealth, and the
Commonwealth of Israel remaining an army, with her rulers of tens
and of fifties, her rulers of hundreds and thousands, drawing
near (as this day throughout our happy fields) to the lot by her
tribes, increased above threefold, and led up by her phylarchs or
princes, to sit upon fifty thrones, judging the fifty tribes of
Oceana! Or, is it Athens, breaking from her iron sepulchre, where
she has been so long trampled by hosts of Janizaries? For