for preseruation and maintenance of which prudence and experience haue framed a law and decent order and prescribed the same to bee obserued of euery member of an armie vnder paine of that punishment which by that lawe is threatned to bee inflicted which order and law truly executed is called the discipline of warre To this discipline belongeth obedience and punishment for the contrarie And therefore it behooueth all men to shew thereunto a continuall zeale and desire to bee seene rather apt and forward to maintaine then to resist and violate the same And because it must be supposed that ancient souldiers and appoynted officers doe know what it is to obey and how to gouerne and to bee gouerned otherwise they cannot but discouer themselues to haue the bare name and not the perfection which their places require I onely speake vnto the nouices in warres and vnto such as come rawly into the field without former education If they purpose to become souldiers they must shew mindes and dispositions to bee directed And howsoeuer they seemed at home among their allies and friends praise worthie for that they were apt and actiue in feates of vanitie and to performe things with delight to the beholders agreeing with peace and pleasure they must now acknowledge ignorance and couet the knowledge of this new vocation wherein they be as strangers vnacquainted with the course and qualities of warre although it cannot bee but commended to haue vse of the fowling peece to handle the sword to tosse the pike and such like But these are farre from that which is required in a souldier the vse of the small peece requireth comelines and quicknes in charging and discharging in marching standing and retreiting The like is of the pike in whose vse is required more then abilitie to beare it at the armes end to couch it or aduance it the application thereof to best aduantage at the push to annoy the enemie and to gard himselfe is the true end thereof And whatsoeuer warlike weapon or instrument the younger souldier taketh in hand he cannot forthwith mannage it after the arte of warre And therefore it behooueth such as will be indeed what they couet to bee called to consult with the skilfull to obserue practise and endeuour for to the industrious and willing minded nothing is hard And hee that will come soonest to the perfection of a souldier must yeeld most to discipline and settle himselfe to sustaine all trauailes to aduenture all perils and to be resolute rather to dye in fight in hope of escape by force in ouercomming then to desire safetie by flying away for death is more to be wished in fighting in a iust cause then life by escaping like a coward For as immortall praise followeth the one so miserable and hatefull ignominie the other And doubtles death is more bitter and terrible to the fearefull and faint hearted that flie then to the valorous that desire to fight There are sundrie vertues required in a souldier yea when hee entreth the field first wherewith for the most part our English impes are not for want of education acquainted at home yet when they begin to take armes on their backes and would bee called souldiers whether they bee prest by authoritie or of their owne forwardnes they must endeuour to learne them speedily and cast off all thinges that are behinde namely profite pleasure friends and feare of death and march on valiantly as to the schoole where they shall bee taught the substance of honourable vertues indeede whereas they before imbraced but the shadowes For in stead of former profit and pleasure they shall haue continuall honor the regall riches of Caesar And as the way to the perfection required is obedience so that obedience must bring with it willingnes to be taught heedfulnes to learne and forwardnes to practise And these things can neuer bee without reuerence and loue to such as are aboue them And howsoeuer in regard of former times wherein some man that now must be commanded hath commanded at home and therefore this new obedience may seeme irksome he must now lay downe his conceit of being more worthie then his commander and become a disciple to such as can teach him his new calling For the speediest course to become a commander is to be willing to be commanded He that is truly obedient to discipline shall proceede from one vertue to another vntill he become able to distinguish betweene the honorable inclination of valour and the ignominious sluggishnes of the faint hearted whereby he shall also gayne true consideration how to weigh in discretion and with patience all other circumstances of honor and dishonor offered in warres The first and principall vertue in a soldier is to learne and truely to feare and serue the liuing God whose fauour loue and protection is obtained by faith and praier Which last howsoeuer it may bee thought a worke out of vse in the warres of this age God forbid that any Christian soldier should be ignorant how or negligent when to pray whereof I will say more in the ende of this worke As for the feare of God and exercise of Religion it is a matter of such necessiti◠and importance as without it no other vertue policie instruments of warre munition skonce forte castle trench wall or best holde strength or multitude auaileth any thing for such is the high Accompt that the Lorde of hoastes maketh of them that feare him tha◠he is as the Clarke of their Band for as Malachi witnesseth hee hath a booke of their names written alwaies before him as a remembraunce to saue them in the day of slaughter wherein though multitudes doe perish yet shal they be as deare vnto him in that day as a sonne to his father The Lorde neuer forsaketh them that feare him neither shall any euill happen vnto them he will not faile them nor forsake them What a necessarie thing is it how sweete and profitable for a soldier to feare God It bringeth with it sundry sweete blessings to accompany the same as his Mercie which is as a well of heauenly water still comforting refreshing renuing their wearied spirits strengthning their weake bodies It is as an arme of brasse to hold thē vp as a buckler of steele to defend thē as a sword of power to confound their enemies It is a comfort in all their distresses Yea as a faine pitieth his own children so hath God compassion on all them that feare him The feare of the Lord is glorie and gladnes reioycing and a ioyfull crowne It is a holy knowledge and beeing compared to worldly and carnall policie it shineth as the Sunne in the darke Who then would goe to the warres without this Iewell and what a watchman is this to keepe our cities and houses at home the soldier that hath it hath glory already and the practise
of good thinges increaseth his honor dayly he hath the true Philosophers stone which turneth all things be they neuer so crosse or contrary to naturall reason into the pure golde of a quiet vndefiled conscience by patience and hee hath within him a continuall feast and in the ende he shall possesse that most ioyfull Crowne of life eternall whensoeuer this mortall carkasse shall be turned to dust whereof it is It maketh him deare vnto God euen while he liueth on earth howsoeuer base he seeme in the world It will not suffer him to speake euill nor doe hurt to his fellow soldiers it transformeth a man into the likenesse of God in innocencie holinesse as if he were made of the same diuine nature Some may thinke yet that this Angelicall qualitie beseemeth not a soldier who indeede shoulde be couragious dismaid at nothing and ready to vndertake all matters of greatest daunger whereas the feare of God seemeth to make men ouercurious too scrupulous and too precise things deemed vnfit in a man of warre But this is a dangerous sclaunder against this inuanquishable vertue which indeed is so farre from the feare of bodily harmes in iust and lawful aduentures as it alwaies appeareth more forward then a meere humane carnall Roister that dependeth on nothing but his owne power feareth nothing more then his owne vaine valour to be seene foyled among men Wherefore did Ioshua that most triumphant Generall ouer the hoast of Israel exhort the people whom hee conducted to feare the Lord but because he sawe it was the way and meane to make them truely hardy and whereby they alwaies preuailed against their enemies whereof the people hauing had often experience they answered with one voice God forbid but we should serue the Lord our God that hath done so many thinges for vs since we came out of Aegypt This is the true resolution of al christian soldiers trusting in the liuing God in feare and reuerence which is to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse And in doing this God will be with vs as hee was with Dauid and he will make our aduersaries afraid of vs as Saul was of Dauid which was not by reason Saul feared the person of Dauid but that God strooke a terror in Saul for that Dauid feared the Lord. All Israel was afraid of blasphemous Goliah because they feared not God as was commaunded but Dauid fearing God became their preuailing Chamâ—ion not by force but by faith fearing nothing but to offend the Lord not in a seruile feare as a coward of bodily woundes or to die as faint-hearted but to doe euill And this feare coÌ„meth of loue and is builded vpon reuerence to Gods maiestie and his worde The feare of Gods children is not to feare the faces of men the power policie or multitude of men nor the death of the body which they know shall rise againe and their soules shall neuer die this feare is a strong assurance of victorie not by force but by God on whome Dauid trusted when hee â—estified his faith saying I will not be afraid for tenne thousand of men that shall beset me round about And this agreeth with another place where it is said Tenne shall chace an hundred an hundred shall chace a thousand We see then the fortitude of christian Souldiers and from whence it is namely from the trust confidence in the liuing God which trust cleanseth the thoughtes from sin and the body from committing euill els is not that feare perfect which hath promise to preuaile and whereby the weake handes shall be able to breake a bâ—w of steele the vnapt handes shall learne to warre the vnskilfull fingers to fight What a guide is this for young soldiers that can both teach the skill and giue the courage it is more then all mortall captaines can doe But sith this high Director hath allowed and approoued inferiour meanes for his children by degrees to attaine to greater perfection in all necessary faculties for the preseruation of this life and watereth them to the faithfull with the dew of his blessing Let him that commeth into the field fearefull of the hissing inuisible bullet of the roaring Cannon of the glittering sword and of the other terrible instruments and engines of warre and of death be take him vnto the protection of that most Highest who shall make him more valiant giue him courage and magnanimitie resolutely to encounter euery vaunting onset of the enemie assuring himselfe that as a sparrow lighteth not on the ground without Gods prouidence so shall not one haire of his head fall much lesse his body perish without that diuine decree And therefore to put away and cast off all slauish fearefulnesse and be indued with that true magnanimitie which shall neuer be quailed but stand firme especially if the defects thereof be supplied by the preceptes of Religion and by the practise of other diuine vertues whereby it shall become so absolute as it will faint at no fortune It will make a man as confident and constant as Brutus who being ouercome by Augustus Caesar was perswaded by some of his followers to fly to saue himselfe I musâ— fly indeede said he but with hands not with feete Meaning that he would not leaue that ignominie behind him as that his life should seeme vnto him more deare then his Countries libertie and therefore hee would fly to that which onely hope reserued as his chiefe safetie defence namely his sword whereunto euery true English hand is prest and ready to fly to preserue our Countries state against vsurping enemies That magnanimitie and courage which all men fearing God haue decreed to maintaine can yeeld no entertainement or place to that hatefull cowardly feare which is so much despised among naturall men that although it haue fortunate successe sometime it is of odious accompt And as all other vertues proceed of this Magnanimitie so from this base roote of cowardly feare spring most dangerous euilles as crueltie treason breach of promise impatience idlenes slouth couetousnesse enuie backebiting and all iniustice all these preuaile where the true feare of God is not And euery Christian else as well as martial men ought to be freed of them and the way to mortifie these vnsauorie and hurtfull weedes which choake vertuous proceedings is the application of some deadly corasiue to take the life from the roote that the branches may die also and beare no more fruite to the sclaunder of a soldier who must cutte off the maine stocke which is cowardice the most deadly enemie to militarie proceedings The coward is a stocke and a dead block in the shape of a man a retyring shadow that dazeleth the eyes and daunteth the courage of the valiant and prouoketh the forward either to stagger or to retyre A whole armie may be driuen to a stand by the fearefull behauiour of a
one is life and of the other hell death and damnation Whether agreeth best with the honor and reputation of a souldier to be carnall and careles or to bee watchfull and sober Put away then all wrath anger maliciousnes cursed and filthie speaking out of your mouthes It shall nothing diminish your valour neither shall you appeare more singular then becommeth Christians if you cleerely put off the old man with all his workes which clogge you that you cannot march rightly like souldiers to the end of true honor Put on the new man which is shaped in holinesse and knowledge for by it most high and pretious things are gotten euen al things that pertaine to life and godlines through the knowledge of him that hath called vs all from the corruptions which are in this world to be partakers of heauenly things And therefore we must indeuour to adde vertue to vertue and faith to faith that we may attaine to that absolute perfection which imbracing temperance bringeth foorth patience which importeth that contentation that is neuer moued with any temptation but delighteth only in godlines approued by brotherly kindnes which commeth of loue He that attaineth vnto this marke which is set before all men to aime at hath the true fruites of the knowledge of our chief Lord and commander Christ who knoweth how to deliuer his out of all temptations and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished and chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lusts of vncleannes and despise gouernment which are presumptuous and stand in their owne conceit and feare not to speake euill of them that are in authoritie ouer them Thus doth the spirit most euidently depaint out the true mortification of our corruptions and the terrible threats of Gods vengeance for disobedieÌ„ce to Rulers and loosenes of life It is dangerous to shew our selues rebellious against this sacred counsell And by their patience souldiers may be put in minde of too much forgetfulnes of their duties to God and their immoderate boldnes to sinne wherein as I cannot altogether excuse my selfe or any other so I heartilie wish reformation in all and all estates For it is time to thinke of Gods iudgements begun not onely against our Christian armies abroad encountering the Turkes our owne and our neighbours neere but also against our selues here at home whom God hath forwarned to forsake our pleasures by plagues lately past by dearth and famine present and by warres threatned Among many other enormities proceeding of the want of warres true discipline it is not the least that our pretended souldiers returning from the warres should haue either hearts in themselues or sufferance by law to become vagabonds for their parts they bewray their cowardly mindes in that they will leaue the honorable practise of warre and betake them to ignominious begging whereby the profession of armes is dishonored and the Magistrates power is thereby discredited the force of the lawes shewed to be of small effect and the common quiet disturbed But for such idle persons as pretending shame to begge which indeede is shamefull to able persons seeme not to be ashamed that they work and labour not which is both an honest and godly meane to relieue themselues without disparagement of the reputation of their militarie profession as they vainly pretend it Indeede such is the casuall course of warre that thereby sometime the rich are made poore and the poore inriched And therefore it behooueth a souldier to lay downe before hand to bee constant in euery fortune for if he faint vnder the burden of the aduerse and become more grieued than agreeth with his professed magnanimitie hee bewraieth himselfe to be but a dastard For it is no shame for a man to become poore for his countrie in the warres but the disgrace is his countries if he deserue well and yet wanteth reliefe If he be ouer much eleuated in conceit with prosperitie he bewraieth his vainglorie which hee knoweth by experience may alter in a moment If he bee sicke in the warres it is incident euen to Princes that liue in pleasure at home with dainties and phisicke therfore let the souldier beare it with courage wherein it beseemeth the most worthie yea the best Commanders to be seene carefull that al possible comfort be yeelded to such as are visited for that they haue no reliefe or comfort but inwardly from God in whom they ought to trust and from their companions strangers in effect who indeede if they be true souldiers will aide one another To be wounded in the warres is glorie and to dye in a iust cause purchaseth immortall memorie And because of all other things incident to militarie men nothing is so certaine as death for that it is decreed that all flesh shall dye and the effect of warre is to kill and to destroy men euery souldier must say vnto himselfe when hee goeth to the warres hee goeth to finish a long pilgrimage Though wee see it happeneth not to all souldiers to dye in the warres yet some spend many yeares euen from their yong yeares to gray haires continually in the warres induring many bickerings fightings hurts and hurting and yet end their daies in peace at home in their beds Our own late deseruers testifie the same to their glorie that shall not dye But admit thou knewest thou shouldest die in the field be couragious for death neuer appaleth the vertuous For as Cicero saith All wisemen dye willingly But the word of God affirmeth that the godly dye more willingly for that they be the Lords And that made Thomas to exhort his fellowes to dye with Christ. Paul sheweth a reason why the godly need not onely not to feare but to bee willing to dye namely to be with Christ. There is a notable mirror of this disdaine of death in Callicratides General vnto the Lacedemonians who being readie to giue battell to his enemies was warned by his Soothfayer that the entrailes of the sacrifice promised victorie to the armie but death to the Captaine whereunto he answered as one resolute to dye Sparta consisteth not in one man for when I shall bee dead my countrie shall be nothing lessened but if I to saue my self should absent me from the battell or goe backe the reputation thereof will be diminished Whereupon he substituted Cleander in his place and gaue battell wherein he was slaine What Christian souldier will not imitate his râ—solution to dye sith wee haue a better assurance to liue after death And if our Creator haue decreed our death sith it cannot be auoided let no man couet to start aside contrary to dutie in hope of safetie for it not onely auaileth nothing but it increaseth the burden of our feare and it argueth distrust in his prouidence that made vs and who can find vs out and confound vs. But rather grounding our assurance
vpon future consolation euen here reueiled to a good conscience let vs rest vpon God who is able to saue one among many and let euery one thinke he is that one A thousand shall fall on the one side and tenne thousand on the other of him that God will defend and it shall not touch him for euery mans dayes yea the haires of his head are numbred and the time of his death appointed neither policie nor force can preuent it If death daunt not what can or should dismay a resolute souldier For he only is free and happie that can be ouercome with no distresse We may say of Religion and the feare of God as Thales sayd of vertue Vertue sayd he is the profitablest thing in the world because it maketh all other things profitable by causing men to vse them well But we may say that all other gifts and vertues too are not onely vnprofitable but hurtfull without the feare of God and vse of religion which is profitable to all things wherewith who so is truly decked and adorned is so happie as he needeth to wish for nothing with any immoderate affection in this life no not for the preseruation of life it selfe in regarde of the world and worldly things nor to thinke anything grieuous or euill which the ordinance of God bringeth vpon him And therefore the constant souldier needeth not to grieue at any hard successe in warre nor feare death sith all things both prosperitie and aduersitie freedome and imprisonment losse and gaine life and death are all at the disposition of the highest who giueth and taketh heaueth vp and throweth downe saueth and killeth whom he will and all to the aduantage of them that feare him That Prayer is necessarie among men of armes as a principall and chiefe meane both to defend themselues and to annoy the enemie and that after victorie they ought to praise God I Haue endeuoured before to shewe that the maine hope which a soldier ought to haue in the proceedings of warre is the feare of God and the true practise of Religion as a thing whereby he becommeth truely valiant and without which hee is but a dastard and without strength were hee of as powerfull a bodie as Hector Hercules or Goliah Now it is to be knowne and considered that this heauenly vertue the feare of God hath continually following it an inseparable and most helpefull assistant prayer which is as a spiritual incense ascending from the faithfull heart to heauen euen vnto the throne of his Maiestie that descendeth againe by his spirit and dwelleth where he findeth so sweete a sauour This is an exercise onely of the godly although the wicked also may intrude themselues into the same in outward shew like Nadab Abihu but their praiers pierce not the heauens they profite not by their prayers The true exercise of praier is not like the idle talke of soldiers other men one with another vaine and wanton whereby they corrupt the aire with the vapors of their sinfull breathinges their maners with filthie words but like the ioyfull songes of the Angelles in heauen who see God face to face as he that praieth truely seeth him by faith and talketh with him by his spirit Much hath bin spoken of many of this diuine exercise and much might be here remembred But as â— began heretofore to speake of the necessarie vse of Religion in men professing armes whose profession tendeth to obtaine victorie against enemies so I holde it conuenient to applie this treatise of prayer also as it may best steed a soldier in the warres For such are the singular effecteâ— of this sweete exercise if they could be all numbred at full and spoken of at large as it woulde appeare an approued remedie for all diseases inward and outward a meane to resist all the euilles which threaten vs to obtaine all the necessaries that behooue vs. It is a vertue of such power and effect as it ouercommeth not onely our enemies but euen God himselfe who must bee made on our side or else we arme our selues in vaine we march to the battell in vaine and we encounter the enemie in vaine And sith he is not like other princes that may be hired for money and like other men that may be induced for gayne to take our partes wee must deale with him according to his nature which is to doe all thinges freely without compulsion or constraint without lucre or looking for any reward So freely may we come vnto him so boldly intreat him and truely trust him in all thinges And herein we must be carefull that as we couet to be seene and noted to pray to become instant petitioners vnto him for any grace fauour or reliefe so we must indeede be truely prepared for the word without the heartie and spirituall consent is but a vaine labour of the tongue whose effect is like Caynes sacrifice reiected and ascendeth not whither it seemeth to be sent And therefore hee that is not first instructed what praier is by what meanes it is effected and to what ende it tendeth though he pray without ceasing as he thinketh he prayeth not at all but vttereth with his lippes an vnprofitable sound which conuerteth to nothing because it proceeded of no good ground it came not of knowledge feeling as Paul teacheth saying I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with vnderstanding also Whereby it appeareth that it is not enough to be wise as we may thinke vs in worldly thinges and martiall feates but wâ— must haue vnderstanding not carnall wisedome spirituall and sanctified knowledge praying in the spirit that is with the inward consent of the soule moued thereunto by that sanctifiyng spirit which God sendeth to his children to helpe their infirmities By which we are made able to discouer our necessities according to true knowledge For if wee well consider the cause why God hath promised to send that comforter which shall teach vs all thinges we shall find it to be for that we are of our owne natures carnall corrupt and ignorant of euery good thing which doth estrange vs from God God from vs. So that if we speake as of our selues we speake but of the corruptions and vanities of our owne thoughtes and our praiers are neither heard vnderstood nor graunted and that is the cause that the carnall man asketh and receiueth not for that he asketh contrary to the meaning of the spirit But when that spirit of regeneration possesseth our heartes wee become capable of better thinges illuminated by that spirit which being the third person of the Deitie teacheth vs the thinges of God not suffering carnall reason to take place in thinges wee desire but speaketh it selfe in vs whose affinitie is such with God the Father and his Christ that it reueileth our wils to God Gods will to vs making such an affinitie betweene the spirit of
best at home To be wounded or dye in the warres The effect of warre Aâ—l souldiers â—ie not in wars A souldier must not feare death Rom. 14.18 Phil. 1.21.22 Iohn 11.16 The resolution of Caâ—licratides that knew he should be slaine None must start aside to saue himselfe Gods power and prouidence in preseruing his He is happie that can be ouercome with no distresse 1. Timot. 4.6 He that feareth God and exerciseth religion need wish for nothing immoderatly All things are at Gods disposition A man can be no valiant soldier without the feare of God and practise of Religion Prayer followeth the feare of God Reuel â— 6. Prayer is an exercise of the godly only Num. 3 1. He that prayeth truely seeth God by faith Prayer an approoued remedie for all diseases a meane to obtaine good and auoid euil Prayer ouercommeth God God must be made on our side God can not be hired for reward In prayer we must be prepared within as we seeme without He that prayeth not rightly prayeth not at all Ier. 14.10.11 We must pray in knowledge 1. Cor 14.15 The spirit teacheth vs how to pray Why Christ promised to send the comforter The cause why the carnall man asketh receiueth not The sppirit of God maketh an affinitie betweene our thoughtes and Gods mercies Psal 86.4 What Prayer is The fruites of prayer Exod. 17.11 Rom. 14 6. Act. 20.36 38. Praier without knowledge and faith profiteth nothing How a man is made fitte to prayer In Christ we are assured if we aske to â—eceiue Hipocrites pray not though they seeme to pray God findeth out Hypâ—crites Atheists c. They are fooles abominable that dissemble with God The perfection of a souldier Some are able to do all things but they cannot pray Single soule souldiers 1. Sam. 28.8 A necessarie thing in souldiers Sinne followeth ignorance The glorie of a reformed souldier A â—â—ueat for souldiers Time pretious and slipperie A vaine daunger to attaine honor An ouer sight in souldieâ—s True vertue a terror to the enemie A wâ—shed sight Our surest weapon and preseruation The godly are not graced in an armie The steps of religious souldiers The offering of sinne for sinnâ— He that praeeth must be free from sinne Ierem. 11.11 2. Tim. 1.9 2. King 3. He that praieth zealously and instantly shall sâ—e wonders The souldier in the warres may see the wonders of the Lord. Infidels made scourges for Gods disobedieÌ„t children The ignorant souldier is in a miserable case Vsurped glorie in a souldier Sâ—nnes may procure ill successe in a iust cause Not to pray before we fight in the warres approueth vs to be but counterfeit Christians Gods children are neuer ouercome but when they forget 〈◊〉 Exod. 23.20 32.2 All Gods creatures fight for his children Exod. 14.19 Iosh. 10.12 We must submit our selues to Gods will God seeth cause to punish vs when we think our selues safe Securitie God causeth vs to remember our sinnes by punishment We haue Christ our sworne defender God alsufficieÌ„t They are safe that dwell vnder the protection of God Prayer a terror vnto the aduersarie God heareth men at large A fault in nobles and men in high place The God of hoastes disposeth of armies as he will Such as attribute successe to fortune deny there is a God To staÌ„nd vpon fortune is a fallacie of the diuell God appointeth second meanes The cause why we attribute successe to fortune Fortune is muffled The resolution of the godly A foolish conceit of fortunistes Machiauilâ— propositionâ— vayne Iosh. 6.4.5 c. Iudâ— 19.20 The godly attribute all successe to their sinnes The manner of the godly in pâ—osperitie and aduersitie A memorandum for martiall men A soldier must be constant referre all thinges to God The true rewarde of christian soldiers Paul setteth downâ— the effects of faith Heb 11. Io. 10.11.13 2. King 4 33.34 The effectes of prayer Prayer the most absolute meane to preuaile in warres He that hath a desire to be godly shall be godly Prayer speaketh aswell in the heart as by the lippes When we haue comfoâ—t by prayer we must be thankâ—full The meaning of câ—â—tinuall pâ—ayer A soldier wheÌ„ he hath time must vse mâ—anes to increase his zeale Soldiers after victorie must be thankefull â—sal â—10 13 Gen. 14.20 Exâ—d 1â— 12 The manâ—er of the exâ—resse thankâ—fulnes of the godly fathers Iudg 5 12. Ingratitude odious to God and men We must not attribute good successe to our selues but to God lest he become our enemie The sequell of Ingratitude What true thankefulnesse â—â— We ought to serue God at home in their behalfes that are in the wars Who are especially thrâ—atned by this noyse of warre The word of God the touchstone of saluation Rumors of warres An obiection The Answer This is the time foretold of the rumors of wars Warres about the mysterie of Christs death The warres in these daies are either for or against Christ. The offended and offending partieâ— in these warres The cause why the diuell and his ministers set kingdomes together by the eares Iustitiaries deuils in the flesh Christ a partie with his persecuted Church We must pray that God will blesse our militarie meanes Our sinnes the cause of warre Where we must seeke the cause of these warres The danger of tollerating sins A secure kingdome soonest snared How we ought to shew wâ—e haue thâ— light Warres the beginning of sorrowes Matth. 24.8 Forces alrâ—ad preuaile little without godly counsell and prayer at home True securitie Gods especiall enemiâ—s A deniall of God to trust in our selues Idumea â—ere 49 7 1â— 16 There can be no hope to the wicked The disobedieÌ„t cannot well bragge that he is the worke of God Fortune the blind god of the wicked We must sâ—ew gratitude for former benefits Gods delight is in them that feare him A multitude of men what they are of themselues Men fearing God Goliah The badge of true religion Matth. 32 39. Rom. 13 10. Galat. 5.14 15. Eph. 3. â—7 Phil. 1.9.10.11 Loue. 1. Thes. 3.12.13 The effects of loue Deut. 17.20 Mich. 3.11 God seeth all thiâ—gs A man is not iusâ—â—fied before God by outwâ—rd things onely Euery man must cast himselfe downe in his owne conceit How a man must examine how he staÌ„deth Such as are far from safetie may seeme secure Esay 28.14.15 Euery man hath a conceit how he standeth The state of the wicked Esa â—8 18 Who shall stand in the day of tryall Why we should pray for our forces in the warres What sinne may doe The exercise of the godly The diuine comforter helpeth them that are willing to doe good To pray rightly peculier to the good It is not the talking of but the â—ractise of religion that auaileth vs A carâ—lesse people Ierâ—salem The punishments of former nations iâ— for our learning and foâ—ewarning A deceiuing dreame One plague followeth another Niniue Good examples of superiours profitable in a kingdome All men ought to humble themselues There be many arguments of the loue of God toward vs. The vse of the sacraments profit vs noâ—â—ing without repentance Disobâ—dience polluteth the most sacred things Sâ—lo Ier. 6. God seeth all men what they be What God requireth of his Prayer Intercession in the behalfe of our brethren in the warres Deprecation against our enemiâ—s and what is required therein We must not aâ—ke vengeance against our enemies but as God will Luk. 9 â—4 God sometime deâ—ieth the requests of his dearest childreÌ„ Patience God will be made a partaker with vs or els he will be against vs. Esay 1.15 Deut. 21.8.9 Ezek. 14.16 Esay 3.10.11 Hab. 2. â— Why the wicked think them mâ—st sâ—cure Worldlings deceiued The reioycing of worldlings vaine Galat. 6.34 True reioycing The practise of the godly The godlie though base in the world are accepted with God Who are dearest with God The sinnes of the multitude may bring danger vpon the mâ—st godly Iere. 5.1 God punisheth many for one Iosh. 7.1 Hesiodus The difference betweene the death of the wicked and the godly Why the godlie are punished with the wicked Neglect of iustice dangerous Deut. 19.19 Where the Magistrate maintaineth the word there will be seene the practise of religion Deut 19.20
who may through terror or subtiltie be also seduced and wonne from the trueth as we see daily dangerous relapses in many by the inchantments of Antichrists ministers a most wicked and mercilesse people who yet iustifie themselues to bee Saints being indeede diuels in the flesh roring out this terrible noyse of mortall warre against the Lord and his Whose furie malice and arrogancie the God of hoasts and armies high and inuincible Iehouah our God alsufficient and louing in Iesus Christ hath not onely willed vs to resist but hath affoorded vs meanes to defend our selues in his feare and to stand vpon our guard in his crucified sonne who as he is a partie in the dishonor done vnto his Church whereof he is the head so he will be a partie with vs in our defence if wee behaue our selues as his reformed children Wee ought therefore to doe nothing nor vndertake any thing without him whose wil is warranted by his word And as wee are in him allowed to vse men and munition and other militarie necessaries abroad for our safetie at home so wee are commanded to serue the liuing God in their behalfes that he will blosse them and vs in them considering it is our sinnes and theirs that haue raised vp this vnpleasant noyse of warre and stirred vp that proud people to thunder out their vaine furie Howsoeuer wee may seeme to father the cause vpon other reasons as vpon the ill disposition of the aduersarie his ambition and malice which though they also appeare manifest we must yet acknowledge and conclude that our sinnes haue inkindled their fierce furie to flame out against vs either in the mercie or iudgement of God either to rouze vs out of our securitie to seeke the Lord in repentance or to make vs partakers of his wrath by the destroying sword of this cruell people Whom as we need not to feare if we feare and reuerence the Lord were each of them as Goliah in strength or as Achitophel in policie So if wee liue after our owne lusts and flatter our selues in our sinnes they may preuaile were they but gnats and wee all as valiant as Hercules and strong as Sampson And therefore the Lord open our eyes that wee may see the causes of these dangers for surely if we dulie search we shall finde the same to be euen in our selues in our Cities and in the Countrie in our Courts and in our Cloysters in our hands and in our hearts in euery man aswell mightie as meane And as euery man hath a share in the cause of this vnsauourie noyse of warre so are wee all like to be partakers of the dangers without true humiliation and heartie reformation of our corrupt liues For if falshood deceit lying swearing blasphemie enuie dissimulate loue flatterie Adulterie drunkennes cruelties iniustice neglect of the true practise of religion and aboue all if pride and couetousnesse the two infernall strumpers and bawds of all other mischiefes and impieties bee found fruitfull amongst vs and to passe currant without punishment wee haue cause to feare for the least of these former euils hath heretofore brought not onely whole families but great cities countries and flourishing kingdomes to ruine and most lamentable desolation All former worlds haue tasted the wrath of God for these sinnes which when they haue growne hot by vse and toleration haue inflamed and become impostumate and at last to ripenes and ruptures and consequently haue yeelded so loathsome a stink as the true comforting spirit hath abhorred to lodge neere the same so that there hath followed deserued confusion God forbid therefore that we should bee thus infected for then can we not be sure of our safety at home nor of our forces abroad who cannot but prosper the worse for our wickednesse It may be thought these euils are not great amongst vs because wee little consider them they lye not heauie vpon vs as it seemeth because wee so little feele them But there bee some sicknesses the more dangerous they be the lesse sensible they appeare to the patient And as that patient prepareth least to dye because he little suspecteth death and yet dyeth suddenly So a secure kingdome little regarding vengeance threatned may be soonest snared in it own sinne and soonest confounded in it owne vanitie And therefore we that are English Christians ought carefully to consider that as a bodie seeming lustie and strong may be suddenly be wrapped in mortal diseases without carefull obseruation of a salutarie diet so a â—late may be changed that standeth in conceit without danger if it be not guided by vertue and practise of Christian religioÌ„ It is in it selfe a dangerous thing for a man to looke into the sinne of another and to regard his owne little or nothing at all If we should gaze vpon the infirmities of our aduersaries admiring their grosse corruptions and in the meane time wallowe with pleasure in our owne daungers our condemnation wee hauing eyes to see should be more iust then theirs whom we hold blind We haue the light let vs make vse of the light and shew it by walking vprightly for if wee goe astray in the cleere shining of knowledge we shall be lesse excusable then they that wander in the night of ignorance It is not for nought that the noyse and rumors of warres are in our eares for if they forerunne not destruction yet we must confesse what Christ affirmeth them to be the beginning of sorrowes And as the lightning commeth before the thunder and a clowde before the storme so the noyse before the effects of warre The wise seaman prouideth against the tempest not yet come to escape the daunger comming So let vs by our repentance appease the God that raiseth this shadow before the substance of greater perill fall vpon vs. God speaketh daily vnto vs by his word to tell vs that the people that sinne shall dye Let vs reply by our workes that we be sorie for the sinnes which haue stirred him vp to threaten vs that he finding vs a reformed nation a people in whose lippes may be found wisedome and in whose hearts he may see righteousnesse and faith whose proceedings may fauour of his feare and due reuerence at home may alter his purpose and blesse vs and our forces for armour and men of strength preuaile little abroad vnlesse there be both godly counsell and faithfull prayer at home And therefore as our share is in their perils that follow the waâ—res for our defence so let vs serue the liuing God for them that he will be their defence for vs. It is no argument that wee are safe at home because our forces are strong abroad but if they feare him in the field and wee serue him truly at home if wee carrie inuiolable hearts and vndefiled hands our state is irremoueable for God shall be both a rocke of defence for vs and a sword of offence vnto the proude that
ambition 2. Sam. 18.14 Flatterie bemisteth the affections of the flattered The effect of perfect duety Trueth and plaine dealing not graced Pro. 12.2 The dissembler prospereth Iob. 37.24 Rom. 15.1 The pernitionâ— act of Alexander Ric. 3. Men of high place must be câ—â—câ—mspect Simple men stand vpon the words and not vpon the inward meaning A man giueth himselfe the lie if he speake what he meaneth not Psal. 41.9 Our tâ—ngue our familiar friend There must bee tryall of men The nature of a true friend The mayne pillers of true friendship Counterfait loue The higher affecting the inferiour what is required therein A necessarie rule for noble men Fayre words compared to a waâ—me sunne Relieuing deedes A two-fold operation in flatterie Tyrannie a hatefull handmaid to honor The fruites of tyrannie Tyrannie and Iustice cannot dwell together Sinne hath many alluring snaâ—es A souldier must often muster his vertues Lust and concupiscence incâ—ude euery sin The blemish of a souldier He is worthie to be a souldier that can subdue sinne The wicked assertion of a militarie man Souldiers shuld striue to exceed other in vertue Souldiers must answer for euery sinne they commit A friuolous excuse for souldiers to God An exhortatioÌ„ to militarie men Comforts for the poore souldier fearing God The prosperitie of the CommaÌ„ders the good of all Militarie function a high calling The necessitie of discipline in â—arres Idâ—enes must be abandoned The benefit of spirituall exercises A chiefe ornament for Commaders to serue God with the people God dealeth not with the wicked and godly alike We must praise God for his goodnes and fauour All things fight for the godly Reasons mouing the auctor to the worke There is no hope to preuaile in warre without Gods assistance The true soldier Though Leaders regard coÌ„mon discipline euery soldier must haue a priuate regard vnto himselfe The chiefe end of our creation Who may chalenge the title of a true solâ—ier All ought to be called to the warrâ—â— by authoritie Obedience to our Soueraigne Obedience the mother of all vertues Obedience to the chiefe Magistrate Deut. 34.9 Iosh. 1.16 A good resolution of Subiâ—ctes Exod. 22.28 Rom. 13.1.2 All must be subiect to authoritie Tit. 3 1. 1. Pet. 2.13.14 Why obedience is due to Magistrates Wis 6.3 1 Sam. 15.22.23 We must obey inferiour Commanders Heb. 13.17 Warrant for commanding and obeying The ground of true obedience is of God The glorie of God and our saluation the chiefe ends of our obedience We should obey our Soueraigne for her owne sake Nature challengeth obedience and defence Who is worthy to be cast out of humane societie Pagans and Infiâ—els haue care to defend their countrey Nature giueth vâ— a loue to our countrey A notable example of true hearted subiects A desperate act to testifie loue Obedience importeth submission Discipline of warre Ancient souldiers are supposed to obey and to be able to gouerne Nouices in warre Things commenâ—â—ble and yet not pâ—rfect A young souldier cannot handle the instruments of warre presently Nothing haâ—d to the willing 〈…〉 maketh 〈◊〉 more â—â—â—â—ble Such as will be souldiers must cast off former considerationâ— Honor the riches of Caesar. What things a yong souldier must endeuour The best in other regards must become disciple to the skilfull in wars The fruites of obeying discipline The principall vertue in a soldier is to feare God The feare of God and exercise of religion is of necessitie God is the Clarke of the band to the goâ—ly Maâ— 3.16 Ecclus. â— 11 Eccl. 31.1 Luke 1.15 The mercie of God followeth the feare of God Psal. 103.13 Ecclus. 1.11 The feare of God a holy knowledge The effectes of the feare of God The feare of God the true philosophers stone A sclaunder to the feare of God The feare of God is full of courage Iosh. 24.14 The feare of God maketh enemies afraid 1. Sam. 18.28 1. Sam. 17.11 Psal. 119.53 Iosh. 4.14 Rom. 13.4 The feare of God proceedeth of loue Psal. 3.6 Whence christian Fortitude commeth Gods feare the best guide to young soldiâ—rs How the young soldier may become valiant Man cannot perish in the warres before God decreeth it The courage of Brutus How soldiers ought to fly Cowardly feare hatefull The fruites of cowardice Cowardice being cut off by the roote the branches will dye The danger of one coward in an armie A Captaine may dispence with a coward The coward is not worthy to liue The semblance betweene a coward and a desperat man Cowardice voyd of the spirituall life Wounds and death gotten in warres bring fame Feare vnâ—â—râ—aketh no vertuous action What feare is Alexander his opinion of feare The hope of a fearefull man None but pertured persons commit treason Dissimulation and lying the veâ—tues of a coward Dutie will not suffer a man to violate his oth in priuate causes The resolution of fidelitie Counterfeit deuises to be â—ispensed from warre is perâ—urie Zach. 5 4. Exod. 8 17. Malach. 3 6. Lawfull excuse may dispence with a mans going to the warres The members and sequeles of feare infinite Idlenes 1. Tim. â— 13. â— Thess. 3.10.11 Prou. 12.11 Ezech. 16 49. 1. Sam 11.1 Idle persons vnprofitable to themselues and other Cicerâ—es opinioÌ„ of idlenes Idle persons come short of the deligence of beasts Reasons why a souldier should slie idlenes Pouertie is the meanest punishment for idlenes Commanders must punish idlenes The Romane Captaines preuented idlenes Soldiers should doe something to preuent idlenes He is the happiest man thâ—t can liue among many Foolish parents measure their sonnes fortunes to come by their owne present wealth The mind bringeth forth euill thinges for want of diuine counsell Discourse of vertuous and diuine thinges great consolation Godly conference pleaseth God The word of God left as a great blessing vnto vs. The â—tudiouâ— of diuine things is well busied Vaine and lasciuious treatises imbraced of soldiers The Bible a necessary companion for a soldier Painefull things winnâ— honor sooner then the delicate Pleasures blemish the reputation of a soldier Such as follow pleasures shall be rewarded with sinners Pleasure The best gifts of pleasure to â—er louers A good griefe Pleasure concupiscence voluptuousnes Gen. 8.21 Concupiscence a secret enemy within vs Iames. 1.14.15 A Souldier must arme him selfe against his inward enemie Gall 5.16.17.18 The happie souldier The vnhappie souldier Rom. 13.13 Colos. 3.5 Our corruptioÌ„s striue against the spirit of God himselfe A souldier inexcusable Colos. 3 8. To put away vanitie diminisheth not the valour of a souldier All necessaries are gotten by godlines The true godlines 2. Pet 9.5.6 God can deliuer the godly and punish the wicked 2 Pet. 2 9.10 Souldiers may be reproued Gods iudgements begun against Christian armies Vagabond and begging souldiers a great enâ—rmitie The effect of begging sâ—uldiers It is no dishâ—nor fâ—r a souldier to labour Warres casualties A souldier must be constant in euery fortune To be sicke in the warres is but a thing incident to the