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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A58178 Serious and seasonable advice to the English soldiers of His Majesty's army Ray, John, 1627-1705. 1693 (1693) Wing R403; ESTC R26215 12,888 52

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Serious Advice TO THE ARMY LAMBETH-HOUSE March 20 th 1692 3 This Serious and Seasonable Advice to the English Soldiers of His Majesties Army sent to me by a Reverend Divine in the Countrey I do not only allow to be Printed but do also earnestly recommend it to those for whose sake it was composed as that which I hope may by the blessing of God be of great use to them JO. CANT Serious and Seasonable ADVICE TO THE ENGLISH SOLDIERS OF His Majesty's Army LONDON Printed for B. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhill and Will. Rogers at the Sun over-against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet M DC XC III. Serious and Seasonable ADVICE TO THE English Soldiers c. Gentlemen A Military Employment when it is undertaken with a good intention begun and carried on for honest ends and purposes hath been generally thought not only lawful and barely innocent but highly useful and commendable likewise And since the common Safety of Europe as well as the necessary Defence and Preservation of that Church and Nation to which you belong is the Cause for which you are now engaged you will not so much want a Casuist to state the Lawfulness of your Profession as you seem to stand in need of some Christian Monitor to put you in mind how you ought to behave your selves in it The Calling of a Soldier is doubtless very well consistent with that of a Christian and altho the Armour which the Gospel recommends is of a Spiritual nature and such as we are all required to put on and employ in our Defence against our Spiritual Enemies yet we no where find that either our Blessed Saviour or any of his Apostles did ever condemn the use of Secular Arms and Carnal Weapons as absolutely unlawful Nor indeed can it be reasonably imagined but that Christians as well as other men may be innocently allowed to provide the best they can both for their Personal and for the Publick Safety The truth is that which hath brought so ill an opinion upon a Military Profession is the looseness of Manners and Unchristian Conversation of too many of those who are employ'd in it And 't is the scandalous Example of some amongst you which hath brought so ill a report upon the Character of a Soldier in the general For the undiscerning part of mankind which is generally the greatest part of it is too apt to judge of a Profession according to the Lives and Conversations of its Professors And because they observe so much Impiety and Injustice so much Prophaneness and Irreligion in the Behaviour of some Soldiers they are from thence unhappily prejudiced with an ill opinion of All. Now the best and only way to vindicate the Credit and Reputation of a Military Life from all Prejudices of this kind is to remove that unhappy occasion from whence they proceed and if instead of distinguishing your selves from the rest of mankind by your Vices you would be more careful to behave your selves as becometh Christians if instead of Blaspheming God with so many horrid Oaths and Curses you would learn to Reverence and Adore him and ascribe him the honour due unto his Name if instead of that Riot and Intemperance that Injustice and Uncharitableness which so much abounds amongst you you would be more mindful of those pressing Obligations which your Religion teacheth you of denying ungodliness and worldly lusts and of living soberly righteously and godly in this present world your Profession would then be entertained with much more Respect in the world The Character of a Soldier would then appear in its true Lustre and be as highly honoured amongst men as it is indeed most deservedly Honourable in it self The Character which St. Luke gives of Cornelius Acts 10. is a Pattern very worthy your imitation upon this account and this out of a sincere intention for the Good of your Souls for the Honour of your Profession and for the happy Success of your Arms I heartily recommend to be transcribed by you He was a Roman Soldier and altho by Birth and Education a Heathen Idolater yet being happily posted amongst the Jews at Caesarea he there attained to the knowledge of the True God and afterwards became a most eminent Convert to the Christian Faith From whence 't is easie to imagine how profitably he employed his vacant hours and what great advantage he made of the Place and the Persons amongst whom he convers'd for although we have no particular account given us of his behaviour till the time of his Conversion yet 't is highly probable that he never spent his time idly and unprofitably or what is much worse prophanely and irreligiously but that he was always meditating upon and considering his latter end and carefully projecting with himself how he might secure an Interest in the Favour and Protection of that God in whom are the Issues of Life and Death and before whose dreadful Tribunal he was to give a solemn and severe Account He wisely consider'd how hazardous and uncertain the Life of a Soldier is above all other men and this Consideration naturally led his thoughts to a nearer Prospect of a Future State He well knew That it was appointed for all men once to dye and that to dare to dye with a more than ordinary Courage and Resolution was what became the Bravery of a Good Soldier but because after this life ended there was a Judgment to come when every one that hath done good shall go into life everlasting and every one that hath done evil into everlasting Fire he thought the consideration hereof a matter of the highest importance to him imaginable and was easily convinc'd how much he was obliged not only in point of Duty but in point of Wisdom and Interest likewise to make the best provision he could for a happy Portion in this his Immortal and Eternal State How discreetly he behaved himself and what prudent care he took of his life and conversation in order hereunto is evident from the account which the Evangelist gives of him who says that he was a devout man one that feared God and prayed unto him continually He did not it seems suppose that his Military Employment for the service of his Prince could give him any the least dispensation from his Duty to his God He did not think that to Curse and Swear and Blaspheme and bluster out his prophane and daring Impieties against the Supreme Judge of Heaven and Earth was one necessary Qualification of his Profession No 't is plain that he believed the Character of a Religious and Devout man was very well reconcilable with that of a Good Soldier And he hath left these as Maxims of Eternal Truth to be transcribed from his Example That the best Courage doth always proceed from the best Conscience And that no man is so well qualified to appear Fearless and Undaunted before the face of an Enemy as he who walketh in the Fear of the Lord and
seeing that all they are accursed as the Prophet David beareth witness who do err and go astray from the Commandments of God let us remembring the dreadful Judgment hanging over our heads and always ready to fall upon us return unto our Lord God with all contrition and meekness of heart bewailing and lamenting our sinful life acknowledging and confessing our Offences and seeking to bring forth worthy Fruits of Penance For now is the Ax put unto the Root of the Trees so that every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God He shall pour down rain upon the sinners snares fire and brimstone storm and tempest this shall be their portion to drink Forlo the Lord is come out of his place to visit the wickedness of such as dwell upon the Earth But who may abide the day of his coming who who shall be able to endure when he appeareth His Pan is in his Hand and he will purge his floor and gather his Wheat into the Barn but he will burn the Chaff with unquenchable fire The Day of the Lord cometh as a Thief in the Night and when Men shall say Peace and all things are safe then shall sudden destruction come upon them as sorrow cometh upon a Woman travelling with Child and they shall not escape Then shall appear the Wrath of God in the Day of Vengeance which obstinate sinners through the stubborness of their heart have heaped unto themselves which despised the goodness patience and long-sufferance of God when he called them continually to Repentance Then shall they call upon me saith the Lord but I will not hear they shall seek me early but they shall not find me and that because they hated knowledge and received not the fear of the Lord but abhorred my counsel and despised my correction Then shall it be too late to knock when the door shall be shut and too late to cry for Mercy when it is the time of Justice O terrible voice of most just Judgment which shall be pronounced upon them when it shall be said unto them Go ye cursed into the fire everlasting which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels Therefore Brethren take we heed betime while the day of salvation lasteth for the night cometh when none can work but let us while we have the light believe in the light and walk as Children of the light that we be not cast into utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Let us not abuse the goodness of God who calleth us mercifully to amendment and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of that which is past if with a perfect and true heart we return unto him For though our sins be as red as scarlet they shall be made white as snow and though they be like purple yet they shall be made white as wooll Turn ye saith the Lord from all your wickedness and your sin shall not be your destruction Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done make you new hearts and a new spirit Wherefore will ye die O house of Israel seeing that I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God Turn ye then and ye shall live Although we have sinned yet have we an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins For he was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickedness Let us therefore return unto him who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners assuring our selves that he is ready to receive us and most willing to pardon us if we come unto him by faithful repentance if we will submit our selves unto him and from henceforth walk in his ways if we will take his easie yoke and light burden upon us to follow him in lowliness patience and charity and be ordered by the governance of his holy Spirit seeking always his glory and serving him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving This if we do Christ will deliver us from the curse of the Law and from the extream malediction which shall light upon them that shall be set on the left hand and he will set us on his right hand and give us the gracious benediction of his Father commanding us to take possession of his glorious Kingdom unto which he vouchsafe to bring us all for his infinite mercy Amen ¶ Then upon your knees repeat the 51 Psalm to the end Miserere mihi Deus Psal 51. HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying and clear when thou are judged Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me But lo thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly Thou shalt purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Thou shalt open my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew thy praise For thou desirest no sacrifices else would I give it thee but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness with the burnt-offerings and oblations then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar Glory be to the Father c. ¶ Then say the Lords Prayer Our Father c. OUr Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen ¶ Then O Lord we beseech Thee c. and the following Prayer Then Turn thou us O Good Lord c. O Lord we beseech thee mercifully hear our prayers and spare all those who confess their sins unto thee that they whose consciences by sin are accused by thy merciful pardon may be absolved through Christ our Lord. Amen O Most mighty God and merciful Father who hast compassion upon all men and hatest nothing that thou hast made who wouldest not the death of a sinner but that he should rather turn from his sin and be saved Mercifully forgive us our trespasses receive and comfort us who are grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins Thy property is always to have mercy to thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins Spare us therefore good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed enter not into judgment with thy servants who are vile earth and miserable sinners but so turn thine anger from us who meekly acknowledge our vileness and truly repent us of our faults and so make haste to help us in this world that we may ever live with thee in the world to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen TUrn thou us O good Lord and so shall we turned Be favourable O Lord be favourable to thy people who turn to thee in weeping fasting and praying For thou art a merciful God full of compassion long-suffering and of great pity Thou sparest when we deserve punishment And in thy wrath thinkest upon mercy Spare thy people good Lord spare them And let not thy heritage be brought to confusion Hear us O Lord for thy mercy is great And after the multitude of thy mercies look upon us Through the merits and mediation of thy blessed Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS A Persuasive to Frequent Communion in the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper By His Grace John Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 8 vo Price 3 d.