I Have perused this Sermon tending much to the Advancement of Military Holinesse and Orders with these the successe of this present Warre and doe therefore conceive them very usefull for the publike especially the Armies April 16. 1646. Ioseph Caryle A SERMON Preached at Balderton March 27. 1646. Being a day of Humiliation thorowout the whole Army before NEWARK By ROBERT RAM Minister of Spalding in Lincolnshire and Chaplaine to Colonell ROSSITER PSAL. 124.8 Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth LONDON Printed for Iohn Wright at the Kings Head in the Old Bayley 1646. TO THE Right Honourable the Committee of Lords and Commons residing at the Leager before Newarke Right Honourable I Will not excuse my selfe or these unpolished Notes by the shortnesse of warning nor by the monethly Fast the same week but only by your Honours command which must be my best plea both for the Preaching and Publishing of them Such as they are I am humbly bold to referre both them and my selfe also to your censure which I am confident will be favourable enough because I have already tasted of a great deale of undeserved respect from you which doth mightily ingage me to be Your Honours most humble servant Robert Ram. A Sermon preached before the Army at NEWARK LUKE 3.14 And the Souldiers likewise demanded of him saying And what shall we doe And he said unto them Doe violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages Right Honourable and welbeloved in the Lord I May begin my Sermon as Chrysostome did one of his at Antioch preaching upon the conversion of Paul who saith he will dispaire of any man though never so vild and Hopelesse that shall heare of Pauls Conversion In this Chapter we have mention of three sorts of men converted to the grace of God by the Ministery of John Baptist as unlikely to be wrought upon as any in the world First The common people vers 10. who usually are ignorant and rude Secondly The Publicanes a most wicked generation ranck't by our Saviour with Heathen men and worst of sinners so odious amongst the Jews that none would match their children into that family which had a Publicane of it Thirdly The Souldiers as unbopefull to be brought to goodnesse as the other Barbarous Miles the rude Souldier was wont to be the common word But such is the unlimited power of the grace of God and such is the infinite mercy of Heaven that even these ignorant people these heathenish Publicanes these barbarous Souldiers are converted to goodnesse and received to mercy My businesse at this time is with the Souldiers I wish it may be as profitable as 't is seasonable These Souldiers you see are inquiring of Iohn what they should doe And what shall we doe is their question O 't is a hopefull thing and a comfortable signe when men will be asking Questions of this kinde 't is an argument that there is something of God in their hearts when they are unfainedly willing and desirous to know the minde of God I hope it is so with you Gentlemen and fellow Souldiers that are come together this day I hope you have the same question in your hearts that these Souldiers in the Text had in their mouthes What shall we doe In the words we may consider First the persons that move this question The Souldiers And the Souldiers likewise demanded Secondly the question they propound which is concerning their owne duty What shall we doe Thirdly the Baptists answer which consists of three Lessons 1 Doe violence to no man 2 neither accuse any falsly 3 Be content with your wages Iohn doth not bid them Lay downe their Armes and give over that calling he gives not the least intimation of any unlawfulnesse in this military profession but onely hints at the usuall miscarriages that martiall men are prone to and labours to regulate these new converted Souldiers instructing them how they should behave themselves in this calling I will reduce all that I have to say at this time upon this Tex into this one point of Doctrine Doct. That good Christians may be Souldiers and all Souldiers should be good Christians The point hath two parts First Good Christians may be Souldiers Secondly All Souldiers should be good Christians I will handle them severally First Good Christians may be Souldiers 1 Because to be a Souldier is a lawfull calling 't is a profession that hath sufficient warrant in the Word of God being often mentioned but no where spoken against or forbidden either in the old or new Testament Christ commends the Centurions Faith in the Gospell but speaks nothing against his calling The other Centurion mentioned Acts 10.1 2. hath an Angell and an Apostle sent to him to instruct him fully in the way of salvation but not a syllable against his military profession which doubtlesse Peter would have done if his imployment as a martiall man were not good and lawfull 2 Because 't is a necessary calling States and Common weales can hardly subsist long without it there is great use to be made of the Souldier for preventing of oppression and violence for defending of Rights and Liberties for the preserving and maintenance of Religion for bringing of offendors to Justice Saint Paul saith Rom. 13.4 That the Magistrate bears not the Sword in vain but the Civill Sword many times would be vaine and uselesse without the help of the Military Sword Jer. 48.10 3 It is a very honourable calling to be a Souldier not onely amongst the Heathen but even amongst Christians and the people of God The Title of a Duke comes from Dux a Captaine a Knight in Latine is Miles 1 a Souldier an Esquire Armiger one that bears Arms c. The Spirit of God makes honourable mention of many that have been famous in this Profession as of Davids Worthies 2 Sam. 23. Of the Governours of Israel My heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly amongst the people Blesse yee the Lord Judg. 5.9 And in Psalm 149. The Prophet speaking of the activenesse of Gods people against the Churches Enemies how they should have a two edged Sword in their hands to execute vengeance and punishments To binde Kings in Chaines and Nobles in Fetters saith in the close of all This honour have all his Saints 4 Many men famous for Religion and Piety have been of this Profession Abraham was a Colonell he had a Regiment of 318. trained men in his own house and he himself that was called the friend of God and the father of the faithfull marched in the head of them in that Expedition against Amraphel c. Gen. 14.14 15. Ioshua was a gracious man and a renowned Warrier David a man after Gods heart yet a man of Warre That Centurian whose faith Christ so magnified Matth. 8.10 was a Captaine over a hundred Souldiers And so was Cornelius Act. 10.1 2. yet highly commended for devotion
and godlinesse The Apostle speaks of some of whom the World was not worthy Hebr. 11.38 and before 34. That they were valiant in fight and turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens So then there is president enough to warrant that godly men may be Souldiers 5 God himselfe disdaines not to be counted a Souldier The Lord is a man of Warre Exod. 15.3 And JEHOVAH TZEBAOTH The Lord of Hosts is one of the most frequent attributes that God is set out by in the Scripture which is as much as to say As the Lord of Armies and implyes that he commands in chiefe and gives orders to all creatures both in Heaven and Earth 6 The Holy Ghost gives Rules and Directions almost in every point of Warre as about preparations Making Warre with good advice Prov. 20.18 for Marches for Quarterings concerning stratagems summoning of Townes ordering of Camps c. Besides there be many metaphors and many comparisons both in the Old and New Testament taken from Souldiers and that Profession as Ephes 6. c. Which doubtlesse the wisdome of God would not have permitted if good Christians might not be Souldiers 7 None are so fit to be Souldiers as good Christians and godly men especially in Gods Battels This will appeare in these foure particulars 1 They of all men will be most couragious and valiant The righteous is bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 The word Geber Psal 37.23 translated a good man signifies also a strong man importing that a good man and a strong man is all one as if none could be truly valiant but good men 2 They have most understanding and will be well advised in their businesse they will be sure of a good Cause they will not draw their Sword against God or his People as our Enemies now do The War must be well warranted that they engage themselves in good men will not fight unlesse they have written Orders from their Generall the Lord of Hosts 3 They will behave themselves like Christians and good men they will obey Orders and Commands no danger or hardship shall discourage them they will scorne all cowardize and basenesse godly men will be as religious in the Campe as the Church the customary deboystnesse of that profession cannot prevaile upon them when others are playing they will be praying when others blaspheme they will blesse They dare not do any violence or wrong nor accuse any man falsly they will be contented with their Wages c. 4 God will undoubtedly blesse and prosper both the councels and actions of a good man The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way Psalm 37.23 They that honour God God will honour them How did God go along with David in all his Wars And how hath the Lord prospered our New Modell I hope I have said enough to cleare this point That good Christians may be Souldiers That godly men may lawfully take up Arms and fight when a just occasion is offered Object But it is objected by some That Christ Mat. 5.29 commands his Disciples That they should not resist evill c. from which place they infer That it is utterly unlawfull for Christians in any case whatsoever to be Souldiers Answ To this I answer That Christ there speaks onely against private revenging of our selves upon those that do us wrong not forbidding publike Justice to be done upon wrong-doers nor the use of Arms when necessity requires Object But Christ rebuked Peter for drawing his Sword in his Masters defence Therefore christians should not fight no not in the cause of Christ Answ Christ came to suffer and to die and therefore forbids Peter to make any resistance against the Officers Object But some there be that hold Christians ought not to fight for Religion Answ To this I answer First by Scripture secondly by Reason Deut. 13.12 13 14 15. where the expresse command of God is That if any shall withdraw the people to serve other Gods such should be smitten with the Sword and utterly destroyed Againe Iosh 22.11 12. All Israel gathered themselves together as one man to go up to Warre against the Tribes of Ruben Gad c. for setting up an Altar beyond Iordan contrary to Gods command This may be further cleered by these Reasons 1. Religion is the glory of a Nation 1 Sam. 4.22 And she said The glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken Surely the Wealth Peace Honour Strength and Prosperity of a Nation are bound up in the trunesse of its Religion so that there cannot be a better cause in the World to fight for then Religion Presidium dulce decus nostrum 2 The true Religion would soone be rooted out of the World if it were not defended by the Sword of the Civill Magistrate The Church according to ordinary means could not subsist long if she were not backed with Armes she hath many mighty cruell and crafty Enemies They have said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation they have consulted together with one consent c. Psal 33.4.12 3 We may take president from famous Churches abroad that have taken up Arms in defence of their Religion when Idolatrous Princes have gone about to deprive them of that The stirs in Germany in Luthers time were about Religion The Protestant Churches in France and the Netherlands have recovered and do still maintaine their Religion by the Sword Object But what warrant have we to ingage our selves in this present Warre Answ God calls upon all his servants and friends to help him against the mighty the Lord saith now as Iehu did once Who is on my side who who will take my part against my Enemies and woe be to him that sits Newter now You have a fearfull doome against newtrality Iudg. 5.23 Rev 3.16 And wrath is upon them from the Lord that do help Gods Enemies against him 2 Chron. 19.2 2 Nature cals upon us and bids us defend our selves from theeves and cut-throats We are but upon the defensive part men are risen up against us and would swallow us up and shall we make no resistance May Beasts Birds and Wormes by their provision and instinct of nature defend themselves from injury and shall not Christians 3 The highest powers under God doe call upon us to arme our selves at this time against the Enemies of our Church and State By the highest powers I meane the Parliament which according to the constitution of our Government here in England hath the most Soveraigne power over us The King we grant is the highest person in his Dominions but the Parliament is the highest power and the command is That every sould should be subject to the Higher Powers Rom. 13.1.2.5 even for conscience sake and as they would avoid damnation 4 Religion Law Liberty and whatever is deere to us do now call upon us to take up Arms These are mightily invaded and unlesse we stand forth manfully we shall
be spoiled for ever and England will quickly become the most slavish Nation in the World 5 All the well-affected of the Land call upon us that we should stand to one another and quit our selves like men like fellow-Citizens like Brethren against the Common Enemy for the divisions of Ruben there were great thoughts of heart Iudg. 5.15 And may not we stand and wonder that any that pretend any thing towards Religion should mind their pleasures or their profits in such times as these or should lye lazing at home when so many of Gods deere Servants are ingaged abroad This may both awaken and incourage every one that would be accounted a Member of this Church in England to come forth and joyne with his Brethren to the uttermost of his ability 6 Our Children and posterity call upon us that we would not leave them slaves That we would continue that Gospell to them which their Grandfathers conveyed to us signed and sealed with their deerest bloud Vse Now for Application of all this to our selves Go on Gentlemen and fellow Souldiers let me speak to you as Ioab did to his Army 2 Sam. 10.12 Be of good courage and let us play the men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good Truly Brethren your encouragements are great and many never had any Army greater or more then you have your calling is good and warrantable as hath been shewn and that may be a comfort to you whether you live or die 2 Your Cause is good for it is Gods you fight the Lords Battels you are ingaged in a businesse that doth mightily concerne Gods glory and his Churches good 3 You fight for your King too to recover him from his and the Kingdomes Enemies and even the King himself hath justified our Brethren of Scotland in the like action 4 You have the hearts and prayers of all the good and praying people of the Land And prayer is a mighty thing The last Queene of Scotland protested to her friends That she was more afraid of Master Knoxes prayers then of an Army of ten thousand men 5 Your Enemies are Gods Enemies Then surely you need not feare them they fight against the Lord and his Christ against the people of God and that Reformation which would advance the glory of God It is impossible then that they should prosper or prevaile against you 6 God hath mightily blest our Armies and Preparations What multitudes of glorious Victories have we been crowned withall in the compasse of a few Moneths the like hath hardly been known in any age of the World 7 Honour and Successe will undoubtedly attend you your names will be famous to Posterity It will be your childrens honour another day that their fathers were Souldiers in this Cause that they did help the Church the Common-Wealth the Parliament and were means to prevent their ruine And for a reward for your paines and labours in this Service looke for a full recompence both here and hereafter And make no more question of being victorious over all your Enemies in Gods time then of Gods Power and Truth for if God be able and his Word true your Enemies are undone men Zeph. 3.19 And no weapon that is formed against his people shall prosper Isa 54.17 Our help standeth in the name of the Lord he hath been with us and he will be with us and if God be with us who can be against us Doe violence to no man c. The Baptist knew that men of this Profession were prone to these evils and indeed wofull experience tels us even in our times that these are the too usuall practises of Souldiers which Iohn labours to rectifie and reforme in them So then this is the second part of the Doctrine or the next lesson that I desire every Souldier here to take forth namely Doct. That Souldiers should be good Christians As godly men may be Souldiers so Souldiers should be godly men This I shall indeavour to prove by these six Arguments 1 The Lord of Hosts is our generalissimo and he is a God of purer eys then to behold iniquity He requires that all that come neare him or belong unto him should be holy as he is holy Read for this purpose Deut. 23.9 When the Host goeth forth against thine Enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing Whatever they were or did before they should be sure then to forbear all wickednesse that so the Lord might go forth with them and blesse them And in the 14. Verse of that Chapter Moses gives some reasons why Camps and Armies should be holy 1. The Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Campe he can soon see what is amisse then in our Quarters If there be any good exercises as praying reading conferring or the like Or else if there be Drunkennesse whoring gaming swearing mutining the Lord cannot but take notice of it 2. He insinuates That if good Order be kept in the Campe then will the Lord both deliver such godly Souldiers from their Enemies and give up their Enemies before them But 3. If our Camps be unholy there will not the Lord stay he will quickly be gone if our wickednesse be there 2 No calling allows men to be deboyst or wicked indeed every Profession hath its peculiar corruption but we finde not any dispensation for such corruptions It will not excuse a Souldier another day to plead That it is usuall amongst Souldiers to be drunk to sweare to plunder c. Certainly Almighty God will not be so answered you must not thinke to carry it so men may be as holy and religious in this Vocation as in any other Calling amongst men and there have been as good and holy men of this Profession as of any other in the World You must not live by custome or example you must live according to your rule and the rule of a Souldier is to feare God and to abstaine from sin and wickednesse The grace of God that brings salvation teacheth all men Souldiers as well as others to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Titus 2. v. 11 12. 3 Souldiers of all men are in continuall danger of death they have vitant in manibus mortem in oculis their lives in their hands and death in their eye It is therefore most fitting and needfull that they should be continually prepared for death O Sirs did you but consider what a sad thing it is to die without pardon of sins without faith without Christ and how casuall your lives are at all times but specially when you go upon any service you would be more carefull to keep your selves from wickednesse you would be more diligent to make your peace with God you would not sqander away your time so prodigally as many of you do you would not dare to be such as many of you are 4 No men stand more in
need of Gods presence and assistance then Souldiers It is through God that men do valiantly alas what are Armies and Preparations without the Lords blessing let men be never so skilfull never so couragious never so well furnished with all the Instruments of War yet all is nothing except the LORD JEHOVAH blesse them Now God will not help evill doers Iob. 8.20 How can a loose lewd profane Souldier expect that the Almighty should cover his head in the day of Battell That he should put by the bullets or blunt the Enemies Sword Can such godlesse wretches as provoke God daily by their abominations hope that he should be any waies helpfull to them The Lord may make use of such men to serve his providence as he doth of Divels but never shall they obtaine any speciall favour from his hand 5 Souldiers are Instruments of Justice a kinde of Magistrates the Sword is put into their hands to bring those to justice and condign punishment which the civill Magistrate could not reach Now for the Divell to rebuke sin is not proper for men that are guilty themselves of violence and wickednesse to be imployed in the punishing and reforming of the same faults in others is not like to be well If I should say to every Souldier here that he is a Justice of Peace you would think it a strange speech but truly upon the matter it is so your businesse is to do what the Justice would not or could not do you are better men then you took your selves to be O that the consideration of that which you are imployed about might make you better men indeed 6 My sixth and last Argument to prove that Souldiers should be godly men is because else little good can be expected from them Truly Gentlemen it is an ill Omen when Armies are made up of profane persons had I not better hopes of this yea did I not know that there are some amongst us both Commanders and others that do truly feare God I should withdraw my self from this Service as despairing of any good successe against this place we have been twice already foiled here and have been made to turne our backs upon our Enemies God grant our wickednesse which truly is great enough cause not the Lord to blast our Designe the third time let me tell you that the sinfulnesse of our Souldiers may cause us to feare the worst First Because wicked Souldiers cannot be valiant wicked men may be fool-hardy but never truly valiant and what can be expected from a company of cowards whose guilty consciences will make them feare that every Bullet will be their Mittimus to Hell Secondly Godlesse men are not likely Instruments for God to worke by or to make use of in glorious atchievements he will not honour them that dishonour him they know not therefore what they do that send forth the scum and basest of their Countries into this Service Thirdly The wickednesse of Souldiers and the sins of a Camp will provoke the Lord to forsake them and it If God forsooke Israel and suffered his people to be baffled and beaten by a small Party of their Enemies for the sin of one Achan Iosh 7. What may we feare when we have many plundering Achans multitudes of blasphemers numbers of beastly Drunkards in our Armies It is enough to make God forsake our Tenths and not go out with our Armies Vse 1. This in the first place serves to reprove those as well Commanders as Common Souldiers that do not conform themselves to the rule of this Doctrine it is very sad and lamentable that men Christians fighting and dying men Souldiers ingaged in this Cause the best and noblest that ever men were imployed in and having the great JEHOVAH for their Generall should carry themselves no better â—â—en many do Are horrid Oaths swinish Drunkennesse shamefull filthinesse and violent oppressions with many other grosse impieties suitable to such a Cause as ours is and such Souldiers as we professe our selves to be Brethren let me commend unto you these six considerations 1 That it were too much for Turks and Pagans to be guilty of such abominations as are daily committed amongst us that are called Christians and have undertaken to fight for Reformation 2 We condemne our Enemies the Cavaleers for their blaspheming and outrages when indeed we justifie them by committing the same things or rather surpassing many of them in acts of wickednesse 3 Consider that we fight for Religion and Reformation who will beleeve that we can be reall and zealous for either when we expresse no more Religion in our lives and our selves hate to be reformed 4 Remember this That God will not hold a Souldier guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine or that provokes him in any other kinde more then another man 5 Think upon this That we cannot hope for Gods blessing either upon our counsels or actions if we walke so contrary to him he hath protested that he will walke contrary to them that walk contrary to him 6 Lastly consider That such ungodly Souldiers will increase our misery rather then help us in them for certainly they do but more and more inflame the wrath of Heaven against us and provoke him to enfatuate our Counsels and blast our Designes Object It is common with men of our profession to be more licentious then others and of all men we may be allowed to take our liberty and not be tyed so strictly to the rules of Keligion least our spirits be snib'd and our hearts grow soft and cowardly Answ 1. The more pitty that licentiousnesse should be so common amongst Souldiers I am sure it should not be so A Campe should be a Schoole of vertue wherein men should learne and practise fortitude chastity sobriety holinesse c. 2 Sin is so farre from breeding of good blood and making men valiant that nothing doth more uncourage men a good courage ever springs from a good conscience Vse 2. Next let me commend a word of Exhortation 1 To you that are Commanders 2 To you that are Common Souldiers 1 To Commanders 1 Be you men fearing God your selves piety is as fitting and necessary for you as for any under your command you will never governe well nor fight well nor live well nor die well if you do not truly feare God 2 Make choise so neer as you can of honest and godly men to be your Souldiers one such is worth a hundred that have nothing of God in them let such be entertained let such be countenanced 3 Use your Power and Authority to restraine wickednesse you may do much this way and God looks for much from you punish swearers and drunkards and prophaners of Sabbaths least their sinnes be put upon your scores 4 Walk you so before your Souldiers in sobernesse chastity and holinesse that your examples may be a law to them And let them not have occasion to say My Captaine or my Colonell will sweare will be drunke c. and