Ioseph from dealing hardly with his Brethren this doe saith he and live for I feare God Gen. 42.18 Finally it will drive you to him for protection in the times of distresse which was the next duty commended to you Dependance upon Gods Providence II. A Dependance upon Gods providence and protection Feare doth usually drive men from that which is feared when they can see nothing but the evill of it or lesse good then evill in it but this Feare is attractive drawes to God because that power of his which is the ground of this feare is not only a power of inflicting evill but of saving too as when he sets himselfe between the hoasts of the Israelites and Egyptians in the pillar of the Cloud which gave light and comfort to the Israelites but shewed blacknes and terrour to their Enemies Exod. 14.20 But see the promise of protection how that Power shall be imployed for the security of them that feare him The Angell of the Lord encampeth round about them Psa 34.7 and God will appoint salvation for Walls and Bullwarks Es 26.1 here are Fortifications beyond your out-works the protection of God drawes the outmost lines of defence keepes the outmost guards round about them that feare him for which the Psalmist often calleth the Lord his sheild and buckler his rocke and towre of defence The Lord to clear this plainly in delivering his People frō the great hoast of the Midianites tells Gideon the people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands least Israell vaunt themselves against me saying mine owne hand hath saved me Iud. 7.2 that Israell might not say the Midianites are too many for me so indeed they were if successe had depended on their Number rather then Gods protection the Lord said to Gideon the people with thee are too many for me so he reduceth them to three hundred and sends them against so many thousand of the Midianites that the Salvation might appeare to be wrought only by his power In the Camp at Gilgal where all the men of warr were circumcised while they were sore not well able to help themselves in which case two men Simeon Levi fell upon a whole Citty and slew all the males Gen. 34. they were fare by his protection that made the terrour and feare of them fall upon the Amorites round about so that their hearts melted and there was no spirit in them because of the children of Israel as we see Jos 5.1 So when they went up to Ierusalem at the three great Feasts thrice every yeare by Gods command and thereupon their borders were left naked of men to defend them the Lord promised and did make it good that none should so much as desire their Land when they went up to appeare before the Lord Exod. 34.24 Their going up to Ierusalem was to worship and offer sacrifice and if they stayed at home or neglected the service they could not expect the defence promised and this puts me in mind of what I commended to you in the third place Prayer Dayly Prayer III. PRayer or dayly invocation or calling upon God whereby that protection and defence is implored and obtained whereby you shew your dependance upon that protection and doe returne unto him his daily worship acknowledging him to be your God by begging of him what you stand in need of as forgivenes of sinnes grace food and preservation by giving him thankes for the good things you daily receive from his gratious and powerfull hand of Providence opened to you to feed you and stretched over you to protect and defend you It will not be thought by many that a Souldier should have very much time to bestow on devotion yet is it often seen that Souldiers can find too much time to spend upon Idlenes and vanity and if we looke into Acts. 10. we may see how Cornelius a Centurion or Captaine imployed his spare time He was a devout man and prayed to Godalway v. 2. There are differences indeed o◠Times and according to the necessities and exigencies of them there are differences of the performance of this duty of prayer and worship for sometimes it is more publique and solemne as when you meet together in a body to pray sometimes in Private by your selves which should be your daily worship and sometimes the streits of time will not suffer it to be performed either by publique meeting or private retiring as when you are suddenly commanded upon Service yet then may it be done in the closet of your heart by mentall ejaculations and inward elevations of the mind to God So you have three wayes of performing this your duty of prayer worship to God the two first wayes as opportunity will give leave and that opportunity is not to be neglected the last way you may use upon what imployments soever you shall be put When the Israelites journeyed not but rested in a place then they kept the charge of the Lord Num. 9.19 that is they attended upon the publique worship of the Lord performed in the Tabernacle which could not be solemnly observed when the Camp removed their frequent Journeyings also being a Cause of the neglect and forbearance of Circumcision till the Camp came to be pitched in Gilgal So when you rest in Garrison as Cornelius did of whom you heard above or when you make any aboad in the Camp as the Israelites did sometime in the wildernes and after that in Gilgal then have you all opportunities of performing your private devotion and also of attending upon the duties of publique worship in praying to God and hearing his word For which purpose you have Chaplaines in your Regiments to minister unto you and he that shall find you lying under hedges sporting by the high wayes cannot but see you have spare time and think in all reason you should be compelled to come in as those were in the Parable Luk. 14.23 But in the necessary streits of time God will admit of limitations and some forbearances in his worship for the safety of the whole Army which is concerned in the speedy performance of suddain duties that the Souldier is called to He doth it in a matter of lesse moment Mat. 5.23 If thou bringest thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift before the Altar c. He suffers a breach in his own worship till the breach of charity between man and man be made up but the offering must not be taken away he that brought it must return to offer so when you are broken of your accustomed time for devotion by a suddain command for service consider these two things first that you carry your heart and therefore an Altar about with you from whence you may offer up your thoughts and desires to God as you March towards or encounter with an Enemy Secondly that you left your offering before the Altar when
these things written in thy book v. 8. Hide me from the gathering together of the froward and from the insurrection of wicked doers Psal 64.2 For under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge till this Tyranny be overpast Ps 57.1 J will call unto the most high God even unto the God that shall performe the Cause which I have in hand v. 2. He shall send from Heaven and save me v. 3. Yea his right hand shall hold me up and his loving correction shall make me great Ps 18.35 Let them rejoyce and be glad that favour my righteous dealing yea let them say blessed be the name of the Lord that hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant Ps 35.27 Then cannot you but think you are invited to apply unto God in the behalfe of your King your selves and your Cause as followeth The PSALME PLead thou our cause O Lord with them that strive with us and fight thou against them that fight against us Ps 35.1 Lay hand on shield and buckler and stand up to help us v. 2. Help us O God of our Salvation for the glory of thy name O deliver us and be mercifull unto out sinnes for thy Names sake Ps 79.9 Lead us in the right way because of our Enimies and deliver us not over to the will of our Adversaries for there are false witnesses risen up against us and such as speak wrong Ps 27.14 Remember O Lord the rebuke that thy servants have and how thine Enemies have slandered the footsteps of thine Annoynted Psal 89.49 Stand up O Lord of Hoasts and be not mercifull unto them that offend of malitious wickednes Psal 59.5 For the sinne of their mouth and for the words of their lips they shall be taken in their pride for why their preaching is of cursing and lyes v. 12. Oh turne not away the face of thine Annointed Psal 132. Oh prepare thy loving mercy and faithfulnes that they may preserve Him Psal 61.7 Stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousnes of His Enemies and let thy right hand save Him Ps 138.7 Yea let Them be cloathed with shame but upon Himselfe let His Crowne flourish Psa 132.19 So shall the King rejoyce in God and the mouth of them that speakes lyes shall be stopped Ps 63.12 Yea their owne tongues shall make them fall insomuch that they which see it shall say This hath God done for they shall perceive it is his worke Psa 64.8,9 The Prayer for the Morning O Almighty Lord God I blesse thy Name for that thou hast kept me this night past from all dangers notwithstanding all my sinnes and ill deserts I beseech thee to pardon them all in Iesus Christ and to guide me this day by thy Grace that I fall not into any presumptuous sinnes but may have thee alwayes before mine eyes to feare thee in all my wayes And seeing nothing is safe without thy defence or prosperous without thy blessing keep I beseech thee and defend Our gratious King protect Him in His Person blesse Him in his Counsells prosper Him in his Just Designes Blesse also and protect all his Armies Vs especicially that attend here to serve Him under thee who art the Everliving God Grant this for Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour AMEN The Prayer for the Evening O Almighty Lord God which hast made the out goings of the Morning and of the Evening to praise thee blessed be thy Name for that thou hast kept and preserved me this day I acknowledge my manifold sinnes and transgressions in thought word and deed committed against thee beseeching thee to pardon what I have done amisse for thy mercyes sake in Jesus Christ Defend O Lord the Kings Majesty and His Army watch thou over us and keepe us all from the dangers of this night through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour AMEN Occasionall Devotion AS every day requires the performance of your Duty to God so doth every speciall occasion in order to the Battell and the Issue thereof call you to some Act of Devotion which may be performed either more solemnely or abruptly according to the straits of time We have King Asa's prayer when he went out against the Ethiopians 2. Chr. 14.11 and King Iehosaphats upon the like occasion 2. Chr. 20. v. 6. Now as it belongs to Authority and is the duty of every General to command the publique and solemne performance of this duty before the joyning of Battell if the time will permit so doth it concerne every Souldier to lift up his heart to God in order to the occasion and performe this duty in some sort answerable to the straits of time And therefore be your service and imployment never so suddain and urgent yet will it admit the private ejaculations of the heart be you in a March or Motion towards the Enemy the mind can move faster towards heaven or be you in the very Encounter the suddain thoughts and desires darted from the Soule are more ready then the dischargings of your Gunns more quick then fired Powder or flying Bullet Moses being in a strait between the Red-Sea and the pursuing Enemie is said to cry unto the Lord yet we read not that he speak any thing Exod. 14.15 it was the cry of the heart and that also sounds in Gods eares Iehosaphat when oppressed in battel by the Syrians cryed unto the Lord and God moved them to depart from him 2. Chr. 18.31 So the men of Iudah when the battel was before and behind them cryed unto the Lord 2. Chr. 13.14 The good Emperour Theodosius in the like danger prayed and was delivered the darts and arrowes that came from the Enemie being by a mighty wind borne back again upon them And we read of the Christian Legion which serving under Antoninus an heathen Emperour did by prayer save the whole army from the necessity of perishing either by drought or by the Enemy for out of the same cloud at their prayer did issue Raine to refresh the Army and Thunder and Lightning to strike and confound the Enemy For direction of your thoughts and desires in order to the Battell take what followeth The PSALME THou art our King O God send help unto Iacob Psal 44. v. 5. Through thee will we overthrow our Enemies and in thy Name will we tread them under that rise up against us v. 6. For we will not trust in our Bow it is not our sword that shall help us v. 7. There is no King can be saved by the multitude of an Hoast neither is any man delivered by much strength Psal 33.15 But it is thou that savest us from our Enemies and puttest them to confusion that hate us Psal 44.8 Through God will we doe great Acts for it is he that shall tread downe our Enemies Psal 60.12 The Prayer O Almighty God King of Kings and Lord of Hoasts it is nothing with thee to helpe whether with many or with them that have no power Helpe us O Lord and deliver us
sinnes done in the body which make the Souldier unable to goe through with his service and duty that belongs to his place which weaken the constitution of the body and eat out the Marrow of the bones such as drunkennesse rioting whordome and the like uncleannesse but these and all other wickednesse and sinnes of profanenesse as swearing cursing blasphemy bloodshed oppression doe not only make you loosers in the spirituall warfait and give you up to your ghostly enimies but also cut you off from Gods protection and blessing exposing you naked and unarmed to all the dangers of Warre And not only so but as it was said of Achan that man perished not alone but wrath fell on all the Congregation Jos 22.20 and as it appears by the other examples above alleadged you doe through such provocations endanger as much as in you lyes a good Cause to fall with you which you should uphold with your best endeavours Thus in generall you see a restraint is cast upon you you may not do or speak as you list you must leave of and avoid somethings and practise other you must strive lawfully observing the order and rule of your warfaire that you may please him who ha's chosen you to be Souldiers that is your God in the duties of a Christian life which is the Spirituall warfaire and your Prince in your orderly demeanour during this present War you serve him in Duties to be observed BVt a little more particularly to direct you let me commend unto you three Duties to which if you hold the observing of them will be your best Armour and provision 1. the true Feare of God 2. A due Dependance upon his providence protection 3. Dayly Invocation and Prayer These will preserve keep you from falling presumptiously into those former Evils of a lewd conversation and from sinking desperatly under the Evils and Dangers of War you will find the direction and comfort of them in all the imployments you are put to when you stand upon the Watch for the preserving of your selves and others when you are called to a triall of your valour against the Enemy when you are now to Enter the Battle when you have the issue of it either in Ill Successe or in Victory and taking the spoyle Of all which particulars something for your Direction Feare of God I. OF the Fear of God To teach a Souldier to feare may seem but an improper and unseasonable lesson but indeed to teach you this feare the Feare of God is to give you boldnesse and to tell you you need not feare any thing else The wiseman assures us and gives it for a proverb received of all that the Fear of the Lord is beginning of Wisedome Prov. 9.10 So it is to all that can learn it but especially it is the Souldiers Wisedome who seeing he ha's of all other most to do with fearfull and dreadfull things doth then acquit himselfe most wisely when he ha's learn't how to Arme himselfe most compendiously and readily against all otherfeares whatsoever by the entertaining of one fear the Fear of God Take confidence whence you will it is but vaine without this Feare be it from the multitude of an Hoast in Scripture you may read of divers vast Armies put to flight not smitten by their Enemies but stricken with a sudden feare sent among them from the Lord whom they least feared or be it from the strength of Armor see the Souldiers at the Sepulchre so astonyed that they lye for dead or be it from height of walls or from the spirit of strong drinke wherewith some Souldiers foolishly arme themselves when they go upon service see Belshazar carousing with his Princes and Captaines in his strong Pallace without any feare of the Enemy then laying seige against him when as one hand from Heaven not with a sword in it to execute but a pen only to write his doom upon the wall affrights them all Dan. 5.5 Now this Feare of God is a feare to offend him either by doing such things as he has forbidden for those tend to his dishonour and provoke him to wrath or by neglecting to doe such things as he ha's commanded for in those doth his service and worship consist and the performance of them makes for the advancement of his glory This Feare is grounded upon that due apprehension which we ought to have of God First in regard of his Omniscience in that he knowes all things and is a witnes to all the Evill we do sees us wheresoever we are and whatsoever we are about heares us whatsoever we speake and considers the very thoughts and desires of our hearts Secondly in regard of his Omnipetency or his Power as it is subservient to his Iustice in inflicting evill and to his mercy in preserving and rewarding He that can inflict or bring the greatest Evill upon man is most to be feared according to our Saviours argument I will forewarne you whom ye shall feare Feare him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell Luk 12.5 man consists of body and Soule God only ha's power to destroy both the greater World is made up of many sorts of Creatures God only has power to command their Hoasts to chastise powerfull Kings by contemptible Creatures froggs lice locusts so in Egypt but when he will shew his power by a judgement of more wonder a Iudgement worthy of God as it is Wisd 12.26 he can make the Sea give backe when his people enter and retire againe to overthrow the Egyptians pursuing them can make the Starres fight in their Course against Sizera Iudg. 5. can by one Angell from Heaven in one night destroy an hundred and fourescore thousand men in the Camp of the Assyrians Conclude therefore upon all men as the Prophet doth upon the Egyptians Esa 31.3 The Egyptians are men and not God their Horses are flesh and not spirit when the Lord shall stretch out his hand both he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall downe But he ha's power not only for Iudgement and destruction but also for salvation and how great is his power that for that purpose can command Legions of powerfull Angells and this also is a ground of the true feare of God His Power as it is subservient to his Mercy Mercy with thee that thon maist be feared Psa 130.4 Doe but thus apprehend the Allseeing Almighty God and such an awfull reverence and dread will possesse your hearts that it will check and restrain you from all uncleanenes because He walketh in the midst of the Camp as he tells his People Deut. 23 and will be a swift witnes against the adulterers and swearers and oppressors as he threatens Mal. 3.5 It was this Feare that kept Ioseph from consenting to his Masters wife how can I saith he doe this great wickednes and sinne agaiust God Gen. 39.9 It will restrain you from cruelty and all unjust violence so it kept
you were broken of your accustomed time and so when you return to privacy you must thinke of offering I have often thought with my selfe how it should come to passe that Mariners and Souldiers who of all other stand most in need of the benefit of prayer and of a continuall prepared heart as being most often neere to death are yet of all other most commonly farthest from the use of prayer and thought of death and doe usually live more carelesly and loosely It puts me in mind of that which Plutarch speakes in the life of Solon whom he notes to have been formerly of a looser conversation and delighted in Poetry and gives a reason of it from his former course of life when he was a Merchant to this effect Merchants running through many hazards and great dangers doe when the Feare and sorrow wherewith they were possest is over desire to enjoy themselves so much the more in like manner such Souldiers that have no better comforts and refreshments then what sense doth suggest unto them being often in great dangers feares and bitternes of mind doe seeke the sweet of a licentious relaxation and liberty and the more they were straitned before the more they let all loose when once they are free This is no true ease or solace of mind after evills and dangers that are past nor is it any good preparation against those that are to come it is not a Christian but Epicurean remedy against feare and care for it saith let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall dye But the Scripture would teach both Mariner and Souldier the neerer they are to danger the more carefully to number their dayes that they may apply their hearts to Wisdome which wisdome is in the fearing of God the depending on his protection the serving of him dayly by prayer and thankesgiving the duties already commended unto you And now if you will take a short View of the Services and imployments you are put upon you shall find the use and benefit of those duties in them The imployments or services you are put unto I may reduce to two You are called either to Watch or to Fight against the Enemy to the Guard or to the Encounter and Battell The Watch or Guard I. When you stand upon the Watch or Guard you are there set for the preservation of your selves and others and ought to consider what a great charge is committed to your trust no lesse then the lives of all that are within the compasse of your walls or trenches who are to be secured by your care and to take their rest in your watchfullnes a duty this is conscionably to be discharged by you A great Commander of the Thebans finding his Sentinell sleeping dispatched him forthwith and excused it I found him dead and so I left him dead because sleeping and because sleeping therefore rewarded with death indeed It showes what you deserve if you be found so because those you watch for might be so dispatched by the Enemy through your neglect Hereupon you ought to consider how much it concernes you to take heed of excesse and drunkennesse which makes you unfit for the faithfull performance of this service we read in severall histories how many Cities Armies have been surprized and lost through the negligence of the Watch being opprest with drunkennes and sleep You must also consider that the safety of the City or Camp is not to be ascribed only or chiefly to your care and watchfullnes but to that Eye of providence which never slumbreth nor sleepeth which watcheth over you and those that you watch for which appointeth salvation for Walls and Bullwarks as you heard above and as the Psalmist tells us It is the Lord that maketh fast the barres of our Gates Psa 147.13 and the Watchmen wake in vaine except the Lord keep the City Psa 127. so that this service or imployment calls for your dependance on his protection according to the Duty before commended to you 2dly When you are called to the Encounter or Battell you will find the direction and benefit of the three former Duties and here you are called to the triall of your Valour and to a consideration of the Issue of the Battell VALOVR I. VAlour is both necessary and commendable in a Souldier but very much mistaken now adayes sometimes a quarrellsome disposition and heat of blood sometimes a careles and rash daring goes for Valour we see how drunkennes often brings forth quarrells and fightings when it ha's heated the blood which else upon a just and sober occasion would be cool enough a Valour that deserves not to be armed with swords but drinking pots with which the Thracians a drunken people were wont to fight We see also how a false opinion of honour and reputation thrusts men into Duells from whence come Warres and fightings among you come they not from hence even of your lusts that warr in your members Iam. 4.1 No true Valour here but inordinate lusts and desires that first fight and strive within your selves being set on fire by excesse and riot or stirred up and misguided by a false conceit of your reputation blemished if you doe not answer the challenge that ha's dared you to adventure body and soule The first challenge for a Duell that we read of came from the mouth of an uncircumcised Philistin 1. Sam. 17.8 and yet that was in open warr tending to the saving of many by the hazard of two and because it was therefore lawfull David did accept it but a challenge to a private Duell upon a private quarrell comes from an heart very unchristian uncircumcised Next we find Abner and Joab meeting and putting their men to twelve Duells for being inured to blood they made but a sport of killing 2. Sam. 2.14 but to shew that the Lord liked neither the offer nor the accepting of the triall the matches on both sides fell downe together and perished True Valour is grounded upon the assurance of a good Cause in the maintenance whereof and in the confidence of Gods blessing the Souldier is not affraid to meet Death to hazard life he that is resolute here is truly Valiant though he will not sweare and swagger though he will not answer a challenge from a fellow Souldier but dare from a just lawfull Enemy for he dare adventure his life but not his soule knowing that duell's upon private quarrells are both Vnsouldier-like because men are not call'd together into Armes to try their swords upon each other to pursue a private revenge but an open Enemy and also Vnchristian because in such a case to kill or be kill'd are both unwarrantable damnable Ioab was a valiant man and shewed it not when he slew Abner and dispatched Amasa shedding the blood of War in Peace 1. King 2.5 but when he Encountred the Ammonites and Syrians then he shewed a well grounded Valour Be of good courage saith he to his brother Abishai and let us play
slaughter and Spoyle as may represse Cruelty and Rapine and yet not be prejudiciall to the Cause When Elisha spoke what Hazael would doe to the children of Israel how he would set their strong holds on fire and slay their young men with the sword and dash their children and rip their Women with child Hazael replyed But what is thy servant a dog that he should doe this great thing 2. K. 8.12 In the judgement of an Heathen Commander cruelty beseems not a Souldier not a man We read how Gideon dealt with the men of Succoth which held out against him Iud. 8.16 he did not runne furiously upon them killing all that came to hand but took the elders of the Citty and with the bryars of the Wildernes taught them that is made them to know by their punishment what it was to resist such Rulers as God had set up over them So that the chief commanders of the Citty were called out to execution the People only affrighted by their example SPOYLES THe Act of Iacobs sons first slaying the inhabitants of Sichem without just cause thē fall ing upon the slain and spoyling the Citty was detestable both for the Cruelty and Rapine in it Gen. 34.26 this was a Cruel plunder Plunder is a new word but I cōceive it expresseth an old way of injustice implies such spoyles as are unlawfully taken In the taking of Spoyles the persons from whom they are taken and the manner of taking them are considerable First they are lawfully taken from a lawfull enemy For such an one being conquered forfeits life and goods to the Conqueror He is servant to him of whom he is overcome as our Saviour speaks that is he is altogether at his disposing and in the Parable when the strong man that keepes his Palace or Fort is vanquished by a stronger then he he is spoiled not only of his Armour but of his goods too Luk. 11.22 Secondly in the manner of taking the Spoyle there is a difference between the Spoyle of the Field and of a Town or Country for though the spoyling of the enimy taken or dead in the Field be permitted promiscuously to the Souldier as every one of Gideons Souldiers had the earerings of his prey taken from the defeated Ishmaelites Iud. 8.24 yet is the spoyling of a Town or Country to be orderly performed by command it being more to the preservation of justice and benefit of the Souldiers to have the spoyle of a Towne orderly taken and divided among them then that they should fly tumultuarily upon it and every one be his own carver We read not that the Spoyles allowed in Scripture were at the pleasure of the Multitude but orderly performed both for the taking of them and the dividing or disposing of them The Midianites are spoyled and all the spoyle and the prey is brought to Moses and Eleazer and so divided Num. 31.12 When Rabbah was taken by David it is said He brought forth the spoyle of the Citty in great abundance 2. Sam. 12.30 When Ioshuah sent home the Reubenites from the warre he bids them Divide the spoyle of your enimies with your brethren Ios 22.8 And when some that went down with David against the Amalekites grudged that any of the spoyle should be given to them that were left behind David replyed Who will hearken to you in this but as his part is that goeth down to the Battell so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuffe they shall part alike and he made it a statute for Israel unto this day 1. Sam. 30.22,24,25 and it were well it were better observed at this day for who will tarry by the stuffe willingly or keep the guard carefully if not provided for by the orderly disposing of the Spoyle The Israelites having taken and slain the men of Judah with much cruelty are reproved for it by the Prophet whereupon they took those of Iudah which they had as Captives or Prisoners and with the Spoyle cloathed and fed and shod them 2. Chro. 28.15 which as it forbids cruelty against an enimy and makes him sometimes the object of mercy so doth it much more condemne the injustice of some Commanders that engrosse the spoyle to themselves and make private benefit of that which is or should be appoynted for the cloathing and reliefe of their own poor Souldiers I defire you to remember what Iacob said to his sons returning with the spoyles of Sichem Ye have troubled me to make me stink among the inhabitants of the Land Gen. 34.30 and accordingly to consider what disservice you doe His Majesty if under colour of spoyling Rebellious enimies his peaceable Subjects be plundered by you Finally when I consider what fuccesse it has pleased God to give His Majestis forces and cannot find any reason of it either in the abundance of ammunition or the number of His men or in the holinesse of their lives and their care of serving God I must conclude and so ought you that the Lord doth thereby shew he justifieth the cause you defend and doth invite you still to ackuowledge him in all your enterprizes and to use the Victory he gives you with moderation and justice and to be more carefull of his service and worship When I spoke above of Prayer I shewed how necessary it is for you because thereby you return unto God his Worship and obtain from him protection and any thing you need also how much spare time you have that might be imployed in devotion and though the service be suddain many times upon which you are commanded yet may the heart be lifted up in praver according to the straites of times and occasions I now come to give you patternes for the practice of this in such set and daily devotion or such occasionall devotion as may and will concerne you The Souldiers private Devotion EVery day requires of you the performance of your duty to God which that you may doe more fitly in relation to the service you are engaged in I desire you first to consider how justly your King may say in the Psalmists words Be mercifull to me O God for man goeth about to devour me he is daily fighting and troubling me mine enimies are daily in hand to swallow me up for they are many O thou most High Psal 56.1,2 They daily mistake my words and all that they imagine is to doe me evill for they hold together and keep themselves close and mark my steps ibid. v. 5. 6. They runne and prepare themselves without my fault arise thou therefore to help me and behold Psal 59.4 Destroy their tongues O Lord and divide them for I have espyed unrighteousnesse and strife in the Citty day and night they goe about within the Walles thereof mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it Psal 55.9.10 Shall they escape for their wickednesse thou O God in thy displeasure shalt cast them downe Psal 56.7 Thou tellest my flittings put my teares in thy bottle are not