than the Sword of Ehud was to the Moabiâ—…ish Tyrant The Captain of your Enemies dare not stand when These against which he hath a peculiar Antipathy are Brandished against him A little Resistance of this Kind will make the Field too hott for him As the Poet hath it Est Leo si fugias si stas quasi musca recedet Or rather as the Apostle has it more certainly and more divinely Resist the Divel and he will flee from you Wherefore Let it be your daily Endeavour That the Word of Christ may dwell richly in you and that you may have the Texts of it as ready as the Names of those that dwell in the same Houses with you or as ready as that honest man of whom Alsted I think somewhere saith If all the Bible had been lost it might have been in a good measure recovered by that good man's Readiness therein Let not a Day ordinarily pass you wherein you will not Read some portion of it with a due Meditation and Supplication over it The Ethiopian Nobleman would not omit this Exercise even when he was on a Iourney And he that shall accustom himself while he reads in his Retirements to fetch at least one Note one Wish out of every Verse as he goes along will perhaps take as speedy a course as any man whatever to become a well-armed Christian. He was a Souldier and an Emperour too that wrote out the New-Testament with his own Hand And that gracions Man Mr. Thomas Stoughton asserts that he knew a young Gentlewoman who before she was Nine years old could say it All by heart It will be our shame if this â—…o-edged Sword be not often in our Hands and Hearts and become like our Necessary Food unto us And that Prince of Transilvania who read â—…ver the Bible Seven twenty Times wiâ—… condemn us if our Eyes are seldom placed oâ—… this Heavenly Sword. It was a dark time with the Church of God when One was pronounced most Sufficient at his Commencing Doctor of Divinity tho he had never Read the Bible Sure I am no man can be a Sufficient Souldier in Christianity unless This be the man of his Counsil These are now your Weapons O put them on and go before the Lord Armed for the Battel RULE III. Let the Sufferings of our LORD â—…each you how to warr and to fight against that Lust which gives the most advantage unto all the Enemies of your Souls Let the Lord here have the same Signification which in the New-Testament it is wonâ—… to have even the Lord JESUS CHRIST Now let Him be your Teacher in this matter It hath been said Crux pendentis est Cathedra Docentis thus while you beholâ—… Him hanging on the Cross let Him Teach you how to Warr and to Fight especially a-against the Sin which doth most easily beset you The Emperour Valentinian when he was dy ing had his Friends comforting of him with the Remembrance of his past Victories he told them that he gloried in one Victory above all the rest Inimicorum nequissimum vici said he Carnem meam I have had a Victory over my Flesh the enemy in the world Let this 〈◊〉 our High Attainment The Enemies of our Souls would all of them together be able to do us little harm if there were not some peculiar Lust like Trojan Horse within us assisting of all their Enterprizes It was the Priviledge of the Man Christ Jesus alone to say The Devil finds nothing in me when the Legions of Hell made an Attacque upon him The Father of Lies utter'd a real Truth when from the Throat of a possessed man he said unto Mr. Balsome If God would-let me loose upon you I should find enough in the Best of you to make you all mine And so truly there is in the best of us all a party of Lusts which would resigne us up unto the power of all our other Enemies if the Grace of God prevent it not Let These â—…e well kept under and the Day is yours Among the many Lusts which are of the DeDevil's Faction in us every man hath as 〈◊〉 sort of Master-Bee in the Hive one peculiar Lust which he may call as David did in Psal. 18. 23. My own Iniquity There is in every one of you a Lust which above other you are most impatient to have Reproved or Restrained A Lust which above other doth most Disquiet you and Discompose you in the Service of God a Lust which gives most frequent Eclipses unto the Light of God's Countenance upon your souls Of This let me say as he about the King of Israel in 1. Reg. 22. 31. Fight neither with small nor great in comparison of This. The Braining of this Giant is of as much Importance perhaps as any one thing in your Warr-fare as having an Influence upon the Prosperity of it all However they that write De re Militari Lay this down as a Maxime Quicquid tibi prodest Adversario nocet Whatever is profitable for you is pernicious for your Adversary That This is both who can make any Doubt Now what shall be done in order hereunto This Follow the Teachings of the Lord. Let the Death of Him that is Generalissimo of all the Celestial Armyes teach you 〈◊〉 to do He has Dyed in part for this Reason that he might insâ—… you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right way of Warring and Fighting against thâ—… Enemies whom His Death hath also been the Price of your Redemption from This thâ—… you have to do Let your Principal Corruption be put unto such a Death as your Dying Saviour has given a Sâ—…mplar of It is 〈◊〉 by the Apostle in Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 That we must be dead to Sin even as Jesus Christ dyed for sin This is the sanctified Way of Dealing with that Son of Anack which creates the most Warr and Evil for you Handle it with Severities analogous to those which Jesus Christ was Crucifyed withal O then Receive this Mystery of Warring and Fighting against your own Iniquity Did not the Iewâ—… with uninterrupted and unwearied Glamours urge their Governour against our Lord Jesus Christ never ceasing their Out-cries Let him be crucified until they had their Will Thus do you never leave Seeking and Sighing and Shouting unto God Lord this Corruption is worthy to 〈◊〉 it is a Traiter to thy Kingdom in me O by no meanes let it Reign and Rave in me as 〈◊〉 Thus beg until God give Order The Rebeâ—… shall dye Furthermore did they draw 〈◊〉 â—…ny 〈◊〉 Indictments against our Lord Christ as guilty of Treason and Sedition and Blâ—…phemy and Heresy and the most villainous Impostures in the World Well so do you lay unto the Charge of your Lust all the Dishonour to GOD and all the Destruction to you and yours which it has procured Say Thou vile Corruption Thou art it that hasâ—… made a Partition-Wall between me and my GOD Thou art it that hast exposed me unto all the Curses in the Flying
related of the Zebulonites that they were expert in warr with all Instruments of warr able to keep Rank At verse 35. it is related of the Danites and at verse 36. it is related of the Asherites likewise that they were expert in war. Some such Beauties is the face of the earth adorn'd withall Persons that understand well all the FIGURES or POSTURES which a Souldier is to use in the Handling of his Arms persons that are well acquainted with all the MOTIONS ORDERS which a Souldier may be call'd unto all the various FACINGS and numerous DOUBLINGS intricate COUNTER-MARCHINGS comely WHEELINGS which are customary and all the CHARGINGS which the many sorts shapes of BATTAILS do admit with innumerable STRATAGEMS of War persons in a word who can handsomely apply all the INSRUMENTS of Defence which a Souldier may Cap-a-pe be furnished with and all the INSTRUMENTS of Offence which a Souldiers hand can be put unto from the Half-pike unto the Granado and the roaring Canon Nextly There are some persons excellent for their Military STRENGTH also There is a Two-fold Strength which Souldiers are sometimes to be admired for Firstly Some Souldiers have an Admirable Strength of BODY Such a Souldier was that renowned Judge of Israel Sampson the History of whose Activity as well as the signification of his Name the Heathen have carried into their stories about their Hercules 'T is storied of Him in Iudg. 14. 6. That when a young Lion roared against him he rent him as he would have rent a kid tho the Oracles of the Lion's Maker have determined him to be the strongest among Beasts T is storied of Him in Chapt. 16. 3. That he took the Gates of a City Doors Posts Barrs and all and carried 'em away up an high Hill twenty miles off T is storied of Him in Chapt. 16. 27. that with main force he over-sett the two huge Pillars whereon lay the stress of a vast Temple containing many more than three thousand people There are Souldiers that for the Strength of their Limbs deserve the name wich once a King in England had even that of Ironside they may almost affirm what Iob deni'd My strength is the strength of stones and my flesh is brass We have read of a Scanderleg who had an Arm that could make his sword strike through thick Iron and who encountring a mighty wild Bull that had slain many wiâ—…h one onely Blow of his Cimitar cutt his head clean from his shoulders We have read of a Milo of a Maximus of some others men made up of Sinewes that would hold a club or keep a place in spite of all possible Assaults that would carry Burdens next to insupportable and in every peece of action scorn a Match Nextly Some Souldiers have an Admirable Strength of SPIRIT also their Courage is marvellous and invincible Such were those Captains which increased Davids Band 1. Chron. 12. 21. all mighty men of valour And such were the Simeonites ibid. v. 25. mighty men of Valour for the war and such the Ephraimites ibid. v. 30. mighty men of Valour famous throughout the house of their Fathers There are Souldiers that for their Valour deserve the name of Caleb which may signify All-heart and who like Caleb are not afraid to look a bigg son of Anak in the face They are as undaunted as the Leviathan the Crocodile which is made without fear it s a meer sport unto them to out-brave the King of Terrours to have Cannon Bullets flying hissing and drawn Swords clashing round about them and dischargdischarged Pistols hurled at their heads they are like fiery metal-fome War-Horses clothed with Thunder they go on to meet Armed men they laugh at Fear and are not affrighted neither turn they back from the Sword they shout among the loud Drums and the â—…hrill Clangors of the Trumpet Ha Ha! the Thuuder of the Captains and the Shouting only adds Fire to their Magnanimity and if they are threatned with such clouds of Arrowes as shall darken the very sky they make no more of it than the Persian who reply'd to such a Menace I am glad of that we shall then fight in the shade Yea almost every spot of ground affords a spectacle of more Fortitude than what appears in Fighting stoutly when Martial Noises do inspirit men We may see men whose Blood chills not when they are call'd out to dy alone in cold Blood men that with a steady Countenance can take grim Death arrayd with all its pompous Horrors by the cold clammy hand and cheerfully say Friend do thy worst Such skill and such Strength many mortals have PROPOSITION II. The Almighty GOD is to be acknowledged as the Author of these Excellences All that have such Excellencies are beholden to GOD for them and ought to own their being so Among the Romans there were those Officers who were called Campi Doctâ—…res the Doctors of the Field All true Christian Souldiers will acknowledge the Ever-living GOD for the supreme Teacher in the field unto them they say He hath his chair in the Heavens who is our Teacher Shall we speak of SKILL Behold the Blesseâ—… GOD the Father of Lights is the Bestoweâ—… of That The haughty Sennacherib is rebuked for saying of his military Exploits in Isa. 10. 13. By my wisdom I have done them We are informed concerning the Husband-man by the princely Prophet His God doth instruct him to Discretion and doth teach him How fitly may that be said of the Souldier too There is a GOD that he hath his military Discretion from Shall we speak of STRENGTH Lo This also is to be ascribed unto God the Rock of Ages It was a check given to the Moabites in Ier. 48. 14. How say ye we are mighty and strong men for the war As for Strength of Body this is from God. The Psalmist does most ingenuously confess in Psal. 18 34. It is the Lord that teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms As for STRENGTH of SPIRIT this too is from God. When Arrowes are to be made Bright and Shields to be gathered t is said in Ier. 51. 11. that The Lord raiseth the spirits of men That which makes this further evident is that the Almighty God takes away military Skill and Strength from men whensoever it pleaseth Him. This the poor Canaanites had experience of The Hundreds of Thousands of armed men in those mighty Nations advantaged with Chariots that were plated with sweeping slaughtering Hooks of Iron could not stand The Lord at once tormented them with great Wasps hideously stinging of their Bodyes and with black Fears weakning of their Spirits they could not stand before an handful of men to whom the Lord had promised in Exod. 23. 27. I will send my Fear before thee and will make thine enemies turn their backs unto thee The cruel crafty Indians among our selves were t' other Day an instance of this too at a time when we
Ierusalem in the dayes of Iehoshaphat It is noted for so I would understand it in 2. Chron. 17. fin That while one man was Leader of that Company they were an Hundred and Eighty Thousand While another they were Two hundred Thousand while another they were two hundred and eighty Thousand and while another they were no less than Three hundred thousand There were Thousands exceeding the Unites in our Artillery Companies Should I now pretend to give Directions how Military Discipline may best be ordered among us I might justly be derided no less than he that would read Military Lectures before the Martial Hannibal Yet there are Two things which I would presume upon 〈◊〉 Liberty to say ADVICE I. It seems good Prudence to be most Attent oâ—… and Accurate in that peice of Military Discipline which is most Necessary Or most accommodated for the SAFETY of the place which we belong unto We have such a Parenthesis in the Preface of David's Elegy over Saul and Ionathan 2. Sam. I. 18. He had them teach the Children of Iudah the Bow. Some take that Word the Bow to be only the Title of the ensueing Song But others thus conceive of it The PhiliPhilistines had made fearful Slaughter among the Israelites by their being curious Archers and the study of David now was to have the Israelites out-shoot the Philistines in their own Bow. All that you shall now hear of this matter from one whose highest military Attainment is that he counts Military Discipline a thing not to be despised is only This There is a swarthy Generation of Philistines here the Indian Natives I mean whom alone we are like to have any Warrs withal These Salvages have not long since butchered several Hundreds in these Plantations in that bloudy gloomy-day when the Alarm of Warr was heard and it was said Sword go through the Land the Canibals had many an Hellish Feast of English Flesh and the main thing wherein the wild Creatures out-did us and â—…n-did us was this They were very yare Marks-men and every tree was a Fort from whence they took their Aims If ever those now wounded Chaldeans should make an Attempt again upon us there will be few Words of Command used unless those two Make ready and Give fire The best Marks-man will then be the best Souldier The Benjamites that can shoot to an Hairs Breadth will probably carry the day How comes it then to pass that in our Trainings there seldome are any of Marks and Prizes set up for the promoting this Accomplishment ADVICE II. They that give their presence to Military Discipline should be ashamed if their Proficiency therein be not conspicuous and considerable The Counsil which Paul gave to a Spiritual Souldier is very Proper here in 1. Tim. 4. 15. Give thy self to these things that thy profiâ—…ng may appear unto all Do not look upon Training dayes as designed for meer Diversion and Recreation or to do nothing but make Smokes Be not of them who unless to get off a Fine would never appear at their Colours Remember that As you were is not a fit word of Command for you all the year long Behave your selves alwaies in your Trainings as under the Eye of the Authority whom under His Majesties favourable Protection you are therein Obedient unto yea and as if you were by them also bid to expect the sight of an Adversary At the End of each day be able to make a good Reply unto that Question Quid profeci or What progress have I made this day in military Discipline Give not your Tutors cause to blame your Non-proficiencies USE II. The Attenders on Military Discipline should hence be careful to Acknowledge God in what they do Let them act according to that Acknowledgement The Lord is my teacher To particularize FIRSTLY There are some Acknowledgements due to God from you WHILE you are using of Military Discipline All the Trained Souldiers among you have these things incumbent on them as so many Ackowledgments unto GOD their Teacher In the first place Souldiers should be Gracious men O get on the Whole Armour of God Get gracious Principles into your Souls Never dream That you are in all respects fit to war and to fight with any men till your peace be made with God. You that may some time or other carry your Livâ—… in your Hands had need alwaies to carry Grace in your Heárts A very Heathen handling that Problem Who is the best Armed Souldier Solved it so Integer vitae scelerisque purus the sincere godly man is the best Armed of any man in the world You be n't so fit as you should be to handle a Sword till you come to use a Book as well as a Sword till you govern your lives by the Words of Command in the Book of God till you can say with that renowned Souldier in Psal. 119. 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches You are poor Souldiers till you can with all Hilarity say to your own souls as that dying Ancient Hilary did Egredere Anima egredere quid times or Turn out O my Soul turn out Scorn Scorn to be afraid of Death which no uncoverted man can duly say After all the Bravadoes which many Hectoring Dam-mee's make while no body is like to hurt them it is the New-born heaven-born Christian that will stand the most daringly before the mouthes of Cannons vomiting out Fire Death Here here is the man that is best able to look the most â—…errible of all terribles in the fâ—…ce to scoff at the hisses of that Rattle-snake DEATH saying Where 's thy sting I have heard that not a very long ago In the Low-Countryes an huffing Captain challenged one reputed a very pious man unto the Fighting of a Duel the General taking notice of it said Pray stay till to morrow such a Town is then to be assaulted I 'll then see which of you two can fight best The Town was assaulted and a Breath made in the Wall Now said the General to the Challenger Now do you Enter To this the couragious Coward reply'd with horrot I beseech your Excellency excuse me I be n't fit to dy But the man whom the Changes of Regeneration have made fit to live he is likewise fit to dy He that hath Christ for his Life will assuredly have Gain by his Death and may fall into Transports of Ioy whenever the grim Ferry-man shall call upon him Come away Moreover Souldiers should be Praying men The illustrious Gâ—…stavus Adolphus was for a Souldier the miracle of this last Age but scarce any thing more contributed to his being so than the Army of Prayers which were ever in his Service Hence he would say to his Counsellors The greater our Army of Prayers the more assured will be our victory It is given as the Character of a man worthy to be a Captain in Act. 10. 2. He was a devout man and one that pray'd
Children of Adam not only under his Condemnation but under his Iurisdiction also There are vast hideous multitudes of desolate Spirits alwayes ready at a minutes Warning to serve him in Spoiling the Happiness of men by keeping a Distance between God and them He and all this his forlorn Crue are more unwilling to let any men please God than Pharaoh was to Dismiss the Israelites from the Brick-kilns of their Bondage David was not more dogg'd for his Life by Saul than we are by these roaring Dragons of the Wilderness Besides these The Subjects the devoted Vassals which this Fly-God hath already gained unto his party of the Humane Race do sett themselves with might and main to promote his Interest every where being led captive by him at his will and all the Pleasures all the Profits all the Preferments of Time do afford Weapons to befriend this execrable Enterprize But that which compleats our peril is that we harbour in our own Breasts a treacherous Enemy whicâ—… sides with all these a Cage of unclean Lusts have lodg'd themselves within us which at thâ—… first Summons would presently surrender us into the hands of the bitter and hasty Natioâ—… that are gaping for us All the Arrows which the spiritual wickednesses in high places do shoot at us are headed feather'd from our selvs froâ—… our own Sensuality or Coveteousness or Ambition and a certain Old man that sleeps in our own Bosomes If it were not for this perfideous Inmate our Enemies would go grudging about the streets for want of Bread. Alas we have within our own Bowels a Sheba that riseth up in Rebellion against our Eternal King. This is our amazing case and it will be so untill we have fought our way quite through the Field of blood which the Church militant is groaning in The Omnipotent GOD hath fired a Becon before our eyes and given us that faithful Warning in 1. Tim. 6. 12. That we must fight a good Fight or we cannot lay hold on Eternal Life Such a Voice as that we have from the shrill Trumâ—…ets of God in Matt. 11. 12. That we must like Souldiers exert an Holy Force and Violence or be shutt out from the Kingdom of heaven in howling Anguishes until the very Heavens be no more Thus must we work out our own Salvation Thus must we strive to enter in at the strait gate The real Christian is to be pitty'd on the same score that the Bird of prey is hated namely quia semper vivit in Armis as long as he breathes he never has it said unto him Lay down your Arms. O the Besotment the Lethal Stupidity of the Soul whoâ—…â—…hese Intimations will not awaken REMEMBER Next The Engagements whichly upon you to Encounter these Enemies are many very mighty Obligations There are Obligations hereunto laid upon you by the Vowes of God which you are under The military Oath was callâ—…d a Sacrament of old Verily you have taken Sacraments upon it and Oaths of Fidelity unto the Lord Jesus Christ that you will never have any Peace or so much as any Truce with these Enemies which would not have Him to reign over you Were you not Baptized into the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Then in that day were you listed under the â—…er oâ—… that Potenâ—…e You were bound unto a neveâ—… ceasing Emnity and Watchfullness against thâ—… Tempters which would with-draw you from your Allegiance unto Him. But Ah Lord how rarely are any among us duly mindful of our Baptismal Vow Souls if ever after this you submit to the Wills of those Abominable things which would build a Partition-wall between God and you You do then prophanely play the Traitor towards the great LORD whose Mark you have received in your Foreheads Be assured the Waters of Baptism will one day become like the Waters of Iealousie or more direful than a River of burning Brimstone unto the Renegadoes that shall thus procure to themselves a Lott among the Fearful the Unbelievers Have not many of you also satt down at the Table of the Lord Verily when the Lord so erected a Banner of Love over you in His Banquetting-house there were fresh Tyes rendering all Reconciliation or Accommodation between you and these Aâ—…alekites the most Dishonest thing imaginable The Lord Jesus Christ hath there said in plain Visible Words unto you Behold I was thus murdered by those very enemies that are lying in wait for thy precious Life O never do thou admit any Friendship with them Then with a pretence of as much Affection as the Citizens of Rome discovered when the Shew of stabb'd Caesar's bloody Robes made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ury to demolish the Houses of the Assassinateâ—… you have openly vowed never to have so much as a kind Parly or Treaty with those Destroyers you have most vehemently professed against them with the Indignation which David had against the Injurious man in the parable As the Lord lives I 'le do what I can that they who have done this thing may dy the Death And can you find in your hearts after this thus to break your Everlasting Govenant After you have ate and drank with Jesus Christ can you sit and side with the Assaylers of His Throne Yea these Vows have you renewed as often as you have made any near Approaches unto God in Jesus Christ this hath been the Language of every good deed which you have applyed your selves unto I will even Resist unto blood striving against Sin. Moreover both the Precepts of God have enjoyned this upon you in 2. Cor. 16. 13. Quitt you like men like Souldiers and be strong and all the Providences of God whether merciful or afflictive have been so many Spurs quickning of you unto these Warrs of the Lord. O let not all these Bonds of God be upon you like the green Withes on Sampson easily burst asunder But there are still further Obligations hereâ—…nto laid upon you in point of Interest On the one hand Be assured if you do Combate strenuously you shall Conquer gloriously You have a General that never yet was overcome He is the King of Glory the Lord mighty in Battail No enemy can stand before a Look of His. Veni Vidi Vici A Sight of Him and a Flight by them is the constant Tenour of His Successes If you will sincerely but let Him bring you on He will be sure to bring you off securely And if you hold on hold out if you continue Faithful unto the death O the unparallelable Crowns and Kingdomes and inexhaustible Treasures which you shall become the Possessors of Est Deus est aether precium certaminis hujus Haec faciant pugnam Praemia tanta levem Mantuan The Lord Jesus Christ will publish all your Pâ—…ins in a big Convention of all the World in the near Day the Last and Great Day when every Child of man shall stand before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ He will then proclaim what you have been and done and