compelled to war in a cause apparently knowne to be vnholy and vniust Most true it is that he must go to war sometimes when wel he knoweth the cause nay more then that when he is vtterly ignorant thereof For souldiers may be iustly pressed by their gouernours to take weapon way and ship towards some exploit which as yet is hidden and vnfit to be opened for a season If it be hid continually then they must beware of suspition and iudge louingly of their Prince Loue is not suspitious 1. Cor. 13.5.6.7 but hopefull rather rest fully perswaded that the cause is good Their diligent search to know the goodnesse of the cause Proâ— 5.3 and their desire to fight in a holy cause when by any secrecie in the Princes heart which is deepe and vnsearchable or by any suddennesse of combat it cannot be reuealed is accepted by our good God who searcheth the herat Now if he cannot come to an euident truth of the iustnesse of the cause yet a Centurion souldier so I call the obedient at a becke must go with all speed Math 8.9 labouring to fight with as much courage as if he knew the cause to be euer so iust and then our gracious God who seeth his holy purpose will take this good hope conceiued of his Deputie in good part and take his due obedience giuen to his Deputie as done to himself Beware then of false whisperings which many times bring disobedient murmurings Gods Vicegerent must not be denied aide no nor so much as grudged at vpon surmises and rumors so they might haue no heartie vse at all of subiects for maintaining their wars Howbeit that serious enquirie that full purpose that heartie desire to fight in a good cause abhorring the contray should be in all Sion souldiers Therefore those souldiers shew themselues to haue ignorant blockish and wicked hearts who care nothing at all in what cause they venture lims and life much more they who hazard themselues when the cause is plainly discerned to be bad If hope of gaine be their principall motiue then haue they hearts possessed with the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6.10 Here mercenarie souldiers are greatly to be reproued who runne to and fro like greedie wolues and flie hither and thither like hungrie Eagles where they may haue most wages whether they fight for God or for the Diuell they care not so they may haue mony and spoiles Such as these can looke for no good successe in the battell God forbid that any Protestant souldier should be of this mercenarie mind Hence it is that I aduise all godly souldiers to vse all good meanes to be throughly perswaded of the goodnes of their cause that so that good God and mightie defender of right may stand for them and that they may stand to him with true courage in the field And yet again I aduise a gracious souldier to iudge the best of the cause if by those occasions which I haue named or the like he can neuer find the depth of it for he must in no wise contest with his gouernours about the cause by standing vpon nice termes shifts and euasions Thus might vnwilling souldiers find store of starting holes to auoide all skirmishes To conclude a Sion soldier must be zealous for a good cause and not iealous of a good Prince he must vse all good inquisition and auoide all euill suspition And thus much for the second worthy sink namely a worthy cause Thirdly sith all men though vertuous 3. Worthy Courage godly and prudent are not endued with courage fit for war for courage is a speciall gift of God it behoueth a true Christian to consider how God hath stirred him vp that way and not offer himselfe to war vpon a sudden heate or mood in euer so good a cause but stay till he find that the God of battell hath bestowed a firme couragious heart vpon him without which he is able to do small good nay rather much harme Faint hearts may sooner discomfort others then performe any acceptable seruice at all Yet this I say in the case of courage when any goeth to warre voluntarily vpon a deceiued heart and then findeth his courage faint or when any that is pressed to war by his Prince is oppressed with feare of the enemie then let him do that to obtaine courage which men ought to doe for obtaining wisedome Iam. 1.17 both these descend from the Father of lights Iam. 1.5 Therefore as Saint Iames saith If a-man lacke wisedome let him aske it of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man so say I if any Christian souldier want courage let him aske it of God in faith and for his glorie not for by and bad respects and if then our most wise God doth not vouchsafe vpon earnest petitions to bestow this gift vpon him surely he should do well to confesse his faintnesse and then such gracious Captaines as shall haue full notice thereof shall do well also to send him backe for some other emploiment at home I make no way here for dissemblers to wind out of their Princes seruice our God can giue holy Captaines discerning spirits to iudge of things in wisedome but I speake of such souldiers whose dastardly feare is apparently seene Here I suppose that old rule of our good God is to be remembred and practised for euer which saith Let the officers speake vnto the people Deut. 20.8 and say Whosoeuer is fearfull and fainthearted let him go and returne vnto his house lest his brethrens hearts faint as well as his heart yet I determine nothing hereof but leaue it to the godly wisedome of religious Captaines To go forward now in speaking more fully of courage I must put you in mind that this courage which here I write of hath alwayes a holy and noble resolution from the first houre to the last What resolution A Christian resolution full of magnanimitie A heart a soule a bodie fully resolued and prepared for all kinde of extremities yea death it selfe which endeth all a heart a soule which makes the will and testament at home in such sort as if the man were neuer to returne to his short home but to go as our phrase of speech is to his long home a heart a soule prepared to leaue all in all and to beare all brunts for Christ his sake When the person of a souldier is once accepted of his God in that most worthy Sonne of his that Lambe I say who is worthy to receiue power and riches and wisedome Reu. 5.12 and strength and glorie and praise then with this resolution which is vnseperable from that acceptance the Sion souldier defieth all Gods enemies despiseth all dangers and after a heauenly maner denieth all friends and himselfe also for Christs sake Then he saith Life I looke not for thy continuance Death I feare not thy sting Wife father mother sonne daughter brother sister friend
neighbour fare you well I am resolued of my course if I neuer come againe to my house I haue a house not made with hands prepared for me By a little shadow of this couragious resolution viz. that it was the most glorious and blessed thing that could be to die for ones country O praeclara mors quae naturae debita patres est redita Cicero in Philip. the old Romanes who were like old wine which is better then new became a kind of Lords ouer their owne liues not caring for death and thereby at length a kinde of Lords also ouer the knowne parts of the world If they could thus resolue vpon so poore weake and sandie a ground what maner of resolution may Sion souldiers make vpon the most faithfull promise and oath of the God of truth Heb. 6.13 to the end 1. Cor. 2.9 1. Pet. 1.4 touching those surpassing ioyes which the eye hath not seen nor the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued laid vp and reserued in store by our good God for them that loue him Math. 9.29 Math. 10.34 lose any friends for his sake yea and especially for them that die in his cause If mortall Princes and gouernours hold it their renoune to requite their Captaines and souldiers for their constancie and courage how will the immortall God performe this to his worthies If the Romanes could giue their Torquatus a chaine of honour and a name of dignitie which remaineth to this day euen the name of a chaine what will our God giue his valiant men Surely both palmes and garlands and chaines and a celestiall crowne together with an euerlasting name in heauen What is it then to lose our country or friends for such a King such a God What is it to lose a lim for him nay what is it to lose life it selfe for him Surely it is no losse but great aduantage And they who in this sort lose a mortall life shall find an immortall life Therefore you Sion souldiers take this linke of courage together with the rest for making vp a chaine of honor here which will procure you a better chaine then the Romanes could giue their Torquatus O prepare to come from home with resolued couragious mindes And therefore prepare to come also with resolued hearts to behaue your selues so as becommeth Christians in all maner holinesse otherwise doe not looâ—e to obtaine true resolued courage from our God For this heauenly resolution can neuer enter into the heart of a wicked man because our God hath threatned yea and assured him the quite contrary euen euerlasting punishment with the Diuell and his Angels except he repent except he amend except he be new borne except he present his bodie a liuing sacrifice Rom. 12.1 holy and acceptable to God which things if by the grace of our most gracious God he performe then shall he be more valiant then any giant then shall he not feare the face of any enemie but strike and dash to peeces the iaw bones of Gods foes flee at them like a Dragon and teare them like a Lion Reu. 5 8. because the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda is with him Such souldiers as these haue no cause to feare any enemies because they feare God and haue him for their friend If they die they die in great honor because they die for God and in God and to God if they liue they liue in great honour both for their good life and for their true valour True valour I say that is stirred vp by a calme and religious minde to fight for the truth Desperate resolutions proceed not from Christian fortitude but from rash furie It is not brainsick venturing in mad moods drunken veins and furious fits that makes a worthy souldier a noble souldier in life and death by such venturing thou maist venture vpon and enter into hell As it is in Martyrdome so it is in battell The cause not the torment maketh a Martyr Right so a good life lead in peace not a bad life lost in warre makes a blessed souldier at his death in the fields Let Sion souldiers therefore be resolued vpon true valour then may they stand to it with courage because they stand vpon a certaintie They shall be certaine either of a glorious victorie in life or of a more glorious victorie by death Such souldiers are far more resolute for Sion then euen the ancient Romanes were for old Rome or the new ones can be for new Babylon Such warriers are indeed more excellent conquerers then euer the most excellent Romanes were For by Christ Iesus their Captaine they become spirituall conquerers of the whole world yea of the flesh and sin and death and diuell and hell These be truly couragious and truly resolued souldiers Thus much for the third worthy namely a resolute courage 4. Worthy Mercie The fourth worthy thing to be considered of Sion souldiers is Mercie Albeit a sacred souldier must be couragious and valorous and that in such sort as to lay about him most manfully without respect of the life of any whosoeuer rather then put his owne life and his countries and his cause in danger yet on the other side there are times when and persons to whom mercy must be shewed I pleade not here for Agags 1 Sam. 15.33 Iudg. 2.21 nor for Zeba's and Zalmunna's whom the Lord will haue destroyed principall irreconcilable enemies such must find no fauour the blood which they haue mercilesse spilt crieth out for their blood without mercie Benhadad 1. King 2. Sam. 15.11 But the thing which I would say is this Such as are mis-led ignorantly like those two hundred whom Absalon abused mercie is due to them Such as before haue shewed mercie to others mercie is due to them If Zeba and Zalmunna had been mercifull vnto Gideons brethren Gideon saith Iudg. 8.29 he would not haue slaine them Babel was commanded to leaue her throne and sit in the dust because she shewed no mercie to the Israelites but laid a very heauie yoke vpon the ancient Isai 47.6 Deut 20 10. 2. Sam. 20.18 Psal 137. Obed. The like is said also of the children of Edom Such as yeeld in due time without resisting mercie is due to them Such captiues as may be spared without any danger of present or future harms through their trechery or multitude it is better to shew mercie there then rigor Matrons and virgins vnlesse they haue bin like Iesabel it is good in sacking of townes to shew mercie to them whom to handle in the least vnchaste maner let the thought thereof be far from all Sion souldiers The great huffing Harlot mother of the Stues leaue villanie to her sonnes fie vpon such filthinesse let it not once be named among Protestant souldiers but rather giuing of thanks for the victorie Moreouer yong children if there be any kinde of hope to stay them by the word it is pitie to slay them by the sword
day then the Lord thy God will set thee on high aboue all nations of the earth and all these blessings shall come on thee Blessed shalt thou be in the citie and blessed also in the field vers 7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise vp against thee to be smitten before thy face They shall come out against thee one way and flie before thee seuen wayes vers 15. But it shall come to passe if thou wilt not hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God which I command thee this day the Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies Thou shalt go out one way against them ver 25.26 and flie seuen wayes before them and shalt be remoued into all the kingdomes of the earth and thy carkeis shall be meat vnto all the foules of the aire and vnto the beasts of the earth and no man shall fray them away Now let vs returne againe to that case of Gods camp at Ai. The lamentable state of that camp doth shew Gods angrie entrance into a terrible execution of this law with great seueritie Against whom Against his owne most dearly beloued people Ios 7.10 Obserue it well And the Lord said vnto Iosuah Get thee vp wherefore liest thou thus vpon thy face Israel hath sinned and they haue transgressed my couenant which I commanded them for they haue euen taken of the accursed thing and haue stolen and dissembled also and they haue put it euen amongst their owne stuffe Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies but turned their backs before them because they were accursed Neither will I be with you any more except you destroy the accursed from among you Vp sanctifie the people and say Sanctifie your selues against to morrow For thus saith the Lord God of Israel There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee O Israel thou canst not stand before thine enemies except ye destroy the accursed from amongst you ver 24.25 Then Iosua and all Israel tooke Achan the sonne of Zeuah and the siluer and the garment and the wedge of gold and his sonnes and his daughters and his oxen and his asses and his sheepe and his tent and all that he had and they brought them vnto the valley of Achor And Iosua said Why hast thou troubled vs The Lord shall trouble thee this day And all Israel stoned him with stones And they raised ouer him a great heape of stones vnto this day O fearfull iudgement Whom may not this make to tremble when they commit grieuous sinnes in warre I acknowledge that this was an extraordinarie case at an extraordinary time neither do I in any wise compare lesser sinnes with this but still I say that vile sinnes may cause our holy God to turne his face from the armie And the thing that I presse is that shamefull or rather shamelesse sinners with a high hand should for euer either be reformed in or remoued from Sion camps Great vigilancie I say should be had in this matter and all good meanes should be vsed to obtaine a holy campe And still I heartily desire you to remember the state of Gods campe at Ai. For more stirring vp of all sorts to the practise of holinesse in campes let all true Christians consider that the chiefe cause why our God would haue his enemies ouerthrowne in warre by his children is their wickednesse And will not the same God expect that they who are made instruments to punish others for their horrible sinnes should be void of such vilenesse Yes certainly Yea and our glorious God hasteneth the ruine of his foes lest his children should learne of them to do after their abhominations and so sin against the Lord their God Deut. 20.17 18 Now though these abhominations consist especially in false worship yet all the godly know that all manner filthinesse of life which either idolaters or his owne children lie in are abhominable to our God also Yea and as idolatrie leades to filthinesse so filthinesse leades to idolatrie Reade Num. 25 1 2 3 4 5. This is apparent in the matter touching Baal Peor where the people committing whoredome with the daughters of Moab were inticed by and by to bow to their idols for loe thus it is said The people began to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moab and they called the people vnto the sacrifice of their gods and so the people did eate and bowed downe vnto the gods of their harlots And then by degrees it is said that Israel signifying a great number coupled himselfe vnto Baal Peor whereby the Lords wrath was kindled against them all till the heads of many were hanged vp against the sunne that the indignation of the Lord might be turned from the residue Call to mind the Israelites estate a little before they fell to these grosse sinnes When Balak would haue smitten them Balam tels him he could not do it Num. 23.21 Because their God was with them And why was he with them Because he had not beheld iniquitie in Iacob neither peruersenesse in Israel The great people of this great campe were true worshippers and holy liuers therefore the souldiers could not be conquered they were both outwardly inwardly holy Now for the better perswading you yet againe to outward and inward holinesse in war remember that our all seeing God is not pleased with any worship euer so religious for the forme Isai 1.2 to 20. Isai 58.1 to 8. Mica 6.6 7 8. or with any outward actions euer so specious for the shew or costly for the matter if righteousnesse of heart holinesse of life go not with them hand in hand no not with venturing of life for killing his enemies how many soeuer they kill See this for venturing of life in the case of King Saul he behaued himselfe valiantly against Gods foes for he smote the Amalekites from Hauilah vntill thou commest to Shur 1. Sam. 15.7 8. that is ouer against Egypt and he tooke Agag the king of the Amalekites aliue and vtterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword yet because he wickedly brake the commandement of his God and trusted in a shining outward performance without a simple inward obedience which is better then sacrifice his valiantnesse was of no value with our God What may I write to moue you yet more to a godly behauiour in warre I will adde this more That God who precisely commandeth cleanlinesse of bodie in the campe Deut. 23.12 13. as we may reade Deut. 23. doth he not much more regard cleanlinesse of soule in the campe Yes yes Psal 39.5 Reu. 1.13 Remember then as Holinesse becometh the Lords house for euer because he standeth in the midst of the golden Candlesticks so Holinesse becometh the Lords campe for euer Deut. 23.14 because he walketh in the midst of thy campe to deliuer thee and to giue vp thine enemies before thee therefore let thy
campe be holy that he see no vncleane thing in thee and turne away from thee This holdeth in spirituall things much more then in corporall Our God is a spirit and vieweth the spirit of man and requireth spirituall cleanlinesse inward cleanlinesse specially Math. 11.18 Is this commandement of God true and this presence of God true Yea they are most true O then let Sion souldiers be Cornelian souldiers such I meane as feare God and are deuout Acts 10.2,7 for this end and purpose I heartily with and pray and aduise that all Sion souldiers may now and for euer earnestly consider of and diligently labour to get and put on the spirituall Chaine and Armour which now I come to describe I shew it but God onely can bestow it This Chaine is made of eight heauenly linkes I haue here by Gods assistance collected eight worthy things from his owne word the mouth of the Lord hath declared them which they that make true vse of shall proue true souldiers of Iesus Christ their heauenly Captain Euery Christian must haue these eight linkes according to their seuerall places and occasions and weare them close together as in a chaine and put on this armour also but specially these double souldiers who fight both corporally and spiritually they must haue double care to enioy them graciously They that despise any one of these linkes or any part of this armour our God wil despise them and they shall be found vnworthy of the name of Christian souldiers God grant that such as make shew to fight on his side may in truth weare these eight worthies worthy links I meane graciously ioyned together as a spirituall chaine about their holy necks These they are 1. Person Gen. 4.1.4 5. First they must consider of their persons how they stand in Gods fauour As the sacrifice of a wicked man is not acceptable to our God no more is his person if not his person then no action which he performeth 2. Cause Ios 10.5.8 Deut. 23.4 Secondly they must looke to the cause for which they must fight that it be holy our iust God will maintaine no vniust cause Thirdly they who fight the Lords battels 3. Courage Ios 1.6 must see to their courage that it be valiant He sends not forth cowards to fight for him but valiant men and this valiantnesse is setled on a firme resolution at all assayes Fourthly they must consider of such mercie as belongs to Christian souldiers 4. Mercie Iam. 2.13 and that must be abundant for our God delights in mercie Fiftly they must obserue truth in all their leagues and promises and that must be vnfained and constant 5. Truth Psal 15.4 The God of truth loueth truth Sixtly they must haue consideration of their wages 6. Wages Luke 3.14 when to take it holily and when to be without it patiently Seuenthly they must haue care of their spirituall armour 7. Armour Ephes 6.13 this armour they must put on and keepe on for euer and not their corporall onely Eightly and lastly 8. Consultation Iudg. 20.18 they must alwayes consult with their good God in all plots enterprises and actions whatsoeuer Of these eight things briefly according to my little skill and strength For the first worthy that is to say a worthy person Sith our glorious God is the God of battell 1 A worthy person and ruleth all things therein both for beginning middle and end For of him and through him Rom. 11.36 and to him are all things How can a souldier haue any blessing in warre if his person be not loued but hated of this all-gouerning God Except his person be found worthy in that Worthy of worthies Christ Iesus whereby his conscience is more and more purified he is like an outlaw Tit. 1.15 depriued from all comfort in and protection from the high God As an earthly Courtier can haue no likelihood to be graced and preferred but rather to be disgraced and deiected if there be euident tokens that the King of that country abhors him so it is with euery souldier in Gods campe if his person be not gracious with that heauenly Captaine of Captains Michael whose great name declares his greatnesse Who like our God Faith with a gracious purpose of amendment of life if God lengthen the dayes are inward tokens of Gods fauour to a souldiers person The outward signes to be seene of men are A reall change of their old life for that sheweth the new birth Zeale for Gods glory with an vtter detestation of all leud companie and generally a holy cariage and behauiour in words and deeds gouerned by the word as in Gods presence Such sanctified souldiers may assure themselues that they are well accepted by the God of battell be it by life be it by death Therfore all wicked souldiers that are hardened in notorious vices are quite excluded whiles they so remaine from all hope that their persons please God and thereby haue iust cause to quake at euery sound of the Trumpet or Drum This being true as it is most true it behoueth Christian souldiers to consider deeply hereof and to labour by all meanes that their persons may be gracious in the eyes of their God yea and to know it and make it known by those tokens aboue named and such other before they put foote to warre lest they fall into horrible danger of soule and bodie state and name I write not this to discourage any sinner but rather to hearten them more by becoming holy I who write this do acknowledge that both my selfe and my fathers house and my owne house haue sinned and do sinne but I write it to stir vp my selfe and mine in our places and all Sion souldiers in their places to a gracious regard of holinesse more and more without which neither can we looke for any blessing in peace nor they in battell Therefore that you may prosper in war leaue off your grosse sinnes and come to the battell and stand in the battell graciously and holily that so your persons may be accepted in and by Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus much for the first consideration the first link the first worthy thing The second thing for Sion souldiers to consider of is the cause for which they fight 2. A worthy cause they must haue a worthy cause A souldier how valiant and vertuous soeuer who hath no consideration of this is in no better case then his horse the horse goeth willingly and fiercely to the battell as well as his master looke whither he rides him thither the horse hasteth against whom or for what cause the beast cares not because it is a beast it sufficeth the dumbe creature that his master sets him forward but this is not enough for a man especially for a Sion souldier he may not suffer himselfe to be drawn on to war by his owne vainglorie or couetousnes without due respect to the cause no nor to be
louing souldiers held out with him to the end without any storming at all meerly for want of mony or meate So let Sion souldiers do with their Dauids and not stand vpon their due or right in times of difficultie Let souldiers learne to make a difference of times and according thereunto now and then to flourish in all things now and then to fade in all things saue onely in one that is to say the assurance of a powerfull glorious and gracious God to supply all their wants if they will ply him with earnest petitions and trust to him who neuer failed any One way or other a faithfull man shal be supplied yea and sometimes that way hee least thought on as Lot from his bondage and the Israelites from the famine which the Aramites caused Therefore I say once more that a Sion souldier must still looke vpon that famous worthy linke of his heauenly chaine Resolued courage and not be clamorous or detected for want of his due in time of aduersitie Is this a souldiers case alone when he is abroad in war No surely It is the Mariners case at Sea yea and more then that also it is the Plowmans case at home it is the Artificers case at home nay and it may be the Pastors and the very Kings case himselfe at home All these haue their portions allowed of the Lord our God and according to their places plentifull portions in time of prosperitie but in aduersitie in troubled waters in stormes in dearths in time of pestilence in persecutions for the Gospell each of these euen the Lords annointed must be content to abate of their due of their right yea and come to sackcloth and ashes with fasting sometimes they must not looke continually for such plentie recompence attendance and respect as belongs vnto them No no they are in their right way when in such cases they abate of their right If this contentednes with want of their due belong to Prince and Pastor how much more to common people If to Kings and Captaines how much more to souldiers All men must receiue their state calling and place vpon condition that if our good God wil call them to wants they must be as wel contented with penurie as with plentie and say with patient Iob The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken away Iob 1.21 Iob 2 10. blessed be the name of the Lord Shall we receiue good at the hands of the Lord and not receiue euill And they must say with Paul I haue learned in whatsoeuer estate I am therewith to be content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungrie to abound and to want Is not our heauenly Father most wise most prouident most powerfull and most louing He is Therefore this affliction this want is good for vs otherwise he would not suffer it to fall vpon vs. Now know this moreouer that such wants as these may come to the most godly souldiers as wel as to the most vngodly ones For in things of this nature There is as Solomon saith one euent to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the euill to the cleane and to the vncleane to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Good souldiers may doe good an hundred times and yet sustaine many wants afterwards wicked souldiers may do euill yea commit foule outrages an hundred times and yet remain in great plentie yea and go away vvith notable victories Howbeit in the end there shall be a differeence made and seene as both Dauid and his son Solomon say Eccles 8.11 12 13. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to do euill But though a sin-do euill an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet surely I know that it shal be well with them that feare the Lord but it shall not be well with the wicked neither shal he prolong his days which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God And again Mark the way of the vpright man and behold for the end of that man is peace A good souldier considering this end wil not be discouraged in a faithlesse manner for want of wages and victuals when the enemy hath aboundant and thereby grieue his gouernour Act. 21.13 but as Paul said in his kind of war What meane you to weep and to breake mine heart I am readie not to be bound onely but also to die for the name of the Lord Iesus So should a holy Sion souldier say Why breake you my heart O louing Captaine by grieuing for my wants I am ready not onely to want my wages and foode for the cause of my Christ but to spend my dearest drop of blood for him and with you Zach. 11.11 Gracious Iosian souldiers so I call the tender hearted to their gouernours wil mourne to see their Captain come to any griefe or wound by the Captaines owne failing in any of his plots or cariages how will they feare then to bring their Captaine to mourning by their owne failing in any dutie of kindnesse to their Gouernour A holy souldier will say thus in time of his gouernours disabilitie to pay wages I serue a good Lord euen the Lord Iesus Christ who hath promised not to leaue vs nor forsake vs he will pay you and me our wages good Captaine And thus he will say in time of distresse for food Deut. 8.3 Math. 4.4 I liue not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of my God hence am I strengthened I did put on this mind at home in my country before I stept a foote towards this war therefore be not grieued I beseech you for any wants of mine as I haue bin well contented with my wages heretofore so am I as well content without it now and as for food O Captain I wait vpon my good God for it and here will I stand for him and to you come what may come till death it selfe come God assisting me onely be you strong and of good comfort Thus much for the sixt Worthy wherein I haue bin the longer because many souldiers haue bin so short in this contentednes with pay prouision as thereby to hazard or dissolue or destroy mightie armies 7. Worthy linke Armour The seuenth vvorthy linke which I aduise Protestant souldiers to consider of is their spirituall armour they must haue much more care of putting on and keeping on that armour then of their corporal armor this is that true armor of proofe which Paul for the excellencie thereof doth call The Armour of God By this armour Gods children are enabled through him by whom they can do all things to stand against the greatest assaults of all Take vnto you