Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	work_n	work_v	wrath_n	210	4	7.8480	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85783	The Christian in compleat armour. Or, A treatise of the saints war against the Devil, wherein a discovery is made of that grand enemy of God and his people, in his policies, power, seat of his empire, wickednesse, and chiefe designe he hath against the saints. A magazin open'd: from whence the Christian is furnished with spiritual armes for the battel, help't on with his armour, and taught the use of his weapon, together with the happy issue of the whole warre. The first part. / By William Gurnall, Minister of the Gospel in Lavenham. Imprimatur, Edmund Calamy.	Gurnall, William, 1617-1679.	1655 (1655)	Wing G2251; Thomason E824_1; ESTC R207679	343,381	430

his Heifer He opens the wombe of the soule to conceive by it as the understanding to conceive of it that the barren soul becomes a joyful mother of children David sate for halfe a year under the publick Lectures of the Law and the wombe of his heart shut up till Nathan comes and God with him and now is the time of life he conceives presently yea and brings forth in the same day falls presently into the bitter pangs of sorrow for his sins which went not over till he had cast them forth in that sweet Psalm 51. Why should this one word work more then all the former but that God now struck in with his Word which he did not before He is therefore said to teach his people to profit he sits in heaven that teacheth hearts When Gods Spirit who is the Head-master shall call a soul from his Usher to himselfe and say Soul you have not gone the way to thrive by hearing the Word thus and thus conceive of such a truth improve such a promise presently the eyes of his understanding open and his heart burnes within him while he speaks to him Thus you see the truth of this Point That the Christians strength is in the Lord. Now we shall give some demonstrations SECT I. Reason 1 The first Reason may be taken from the nature of the Saints and their grace both are creatures they and their grace also now Inesse est de esse creaturae 'T is in the very nature of the creature to depend on God its Maker both for being and operation Can you conceive an accident to be out of its subject whitenesse out of the wall or some other subject 't is as impossible that the creature should be or act without strength from God This to be act in and of himself is so incommunicable a property of the Deity that he cannot impart it to his creature God is and there is none besides him when God made the world it is said indeed he ended his work that is of Creation he made no new species and kindes of creatures more but to this day he hath not ended his work of Providence Hitherto my Father worketh saith Christ John 5.17 that is in preserving and empowering what he hath made with strength to be and act and therefore he is said to hold our souls in life Works of Art which man makes when finish't may stand some time without the Workmans help as the house when the Carpenter that made it is dead but Gods works both of nature and grace are never off his hand and therefore as the Father is said to work hitherto for the preservation of the works of nature so the Son to whom is committed the work of Redemption he tells us he worketh also Neither ended he his work when he rose again any otherways then his Father did in the work of Creation God made an end of making so Christ made an end of purchasing mercy grace and glory for believers by once dying and as God rested at the end of the Creation so he when he had wrought eternal Redemption and by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on High Heb. 1.3 But he ceaseth not to work by his intercession with God for us and by his Spirit in us for God whereby he upholds his Saints their graces and comforts in life without which they would run to ruine Thus we see as grace is a creature the Christian depends on God for his strength But further Reason 2 Secondly the Christians grace is not only a creature but a weak creature conflicting with enemies stronger then it selfe and therefore cannot keep the field without an auxiliary strength from Heaven The weakest goes to the wall if no succour comes in Grace in this life is but weak like a King in the Cradle which gives advantage to Satan to carry on his plots more strongly to the disturbance of this young Kings reigne in the soule yea he would soon make an end of the war in the ruine of the believers grace did not Heaven take the Christian into protection 'T is true indeed grace whereever it is hath a principle in it selfe that makes it desire and endeavour to preserve it self according to its strength but being over-powered must perish except assisted by God as fire in green wood which deads and damps the part kindled will in time go out except blown up or more fire put to that little so will grace in the heart God brings his grace into the heart by Conquest now as in a conquered City though some yield and become true subjects to the Conquerour yet others plot how they may shake off this yoke and therefore it requires the same power to keep as was to win it at first The Christian hath an unregenerate part that is discontented at this new change in the heart and disdains as much to come under the sweet government of Christs Scepter as the Sodomites that Lot should judge them What this fellow a Stranger controule us And Satan heads this mutinous rout against the Christian so that if God should not continually re-inforce this his new-planted Colony in the heart the very natives I mean corruptions that are left would come out of their dens and holes where they lie lurking and eat up the little grace the holiest on earth hath it would be as bread to these devourers Reason 3 A third demonstration may be taken from the grand designe which God propounds to himself in the Saints salvation yea in the transaction of it from first to last And that is two-fold First God would bring his Saints to heaven in such a way as might be most expressive of his deare love and mercy to them Secondly he would so expresse his mercy and love to them as might rebound back to him in the highest advance of his own glory possible Now how becoming this is to both that Saints should have all their ability for every step they take in the way to heaven will soon appear First this way of communicating strength to Saints gives a double accent to Gods love and mercy First it distills a sweetnesse into all the believer hath or doth when he findes any comfort in his bosome any enlargement of heart in duty any support under temptations To consider whence came all these what friend sends them in they come not from my own cisterne or any creatures O 't is my God that hath been here and left this sweet perfume of comfort behinde him in my bosome my God that hath unawares to me fill'd my sailes with the gales of his Spirit and brought me off the flats of my own deadnesse where I lay a ground O 't is his sweet Spirit that held my head stayed my heart in such an affliction and temptation or else I had gone away in a fainting fit of unbelief How can this choose but endear God to a gracious soul his succours coming so

in this case is to do with these motions as you use to serve those vagrants and rogues that come about the countrey whom though you cannot keep from passing through your town yet you look they settle not there but whip them and send them to their owne home Thus give these motions the Law in mourning for them resisting of them and they shall not be your charge yea 't is like you shall seldomer be troubled with such guests but if once you come to entertain them and be Satans nurse to them then the Law of God will cast them upon you SECT II. Secondly another wile of Satan as a troubler is in aggravating the Saints sins against which he hath a notable declamatory faculty not that he hates the sin but the Saint now in this his chief subtilty is so to lay his charge that it may seem to be the act of the holy Spirit he knowes an arrow out of Gods quiver wounds deep and therefore when he accuseth he comes in Gods Name as suppose a childe were conscious to himselfe of displeasing his father and one that owes him a spite to trouble him should counterfeit a letter from his father and cunningly conveyes it into the sons hand who receives it as from his father wherein he chargeth him with many heavy crimes disownes him and threatens he shall never come in his sight or have penny portion from him the poor son conscious to himself of many undutiful carriages and not knowing the plot takes on heavily and can neither eate nor sleep for grief here is a real trouble begot from a false and imaginary ground Thus Satan observes how the squares go between God and his children such a Saint he sees tardy in this duty faulty in that service and he knows the Christian is conscious of this and that the Spirit of God will also shew his distaste for these both which prompts Satan to draw a charge at length raking up all the bloody aggravations he can think of and give it in to the Saint as sent from God Thus he taught Jobs friends to pick up those infirmities which drop't from him in his distresse and shoot them back in his face as if indeed they had been sent from God to declare him an hypocrite and denounce his wrath for the same Quest But how should we know the false accusations of Satan from the rebukes of God and his Spirit Answ First if they crosse any former act or work of the Spirit in thy soule they are Satans not the Holy Spirits Now you shall observe Satans scope in accusing the Christian and aggravating his sin is to unsaint him and perswade him he is but an hypocrite O saith Satan now thou hast shewen what thou art see what a foule spot is on thy coat this is not the spot of a childe whoever that was a Saint commited such a sin after such a sort All thy comforts and confidence which thou hast bragg'd of were false I warrant you thus you see Satan at one blow dasheth all in pieces The whole fabrick of grace which God hath been rearing up many yeares in the soule must now at one puffe of his malicious mouth be blown down and all the sweet comforts with which the Holy Spirit hath seal'd up Gods love must be defaced with this one blot which Satan drawes over the faire copy of the Saints evidence Well soule for thy comfort know if ever the Spirit of God hath begun a sanctifying or comforting work causing thee to hope in his mercy he never is will or can be the messenger to bring contrary newes to thy soule his language is not yea and nay but Yea and Amen for ever Indeed when the Saint playes the wanton he can chide yea will frown and tell the soule roundly of its sin as he did David by Nathan Thou art the man this thou hast done and paints out his sin with such bloody colours as made Davids heart melt as it were into so many drops of water but that shall not serve his turn he tells him what a rod is steeping for him that shall smart to purpose one of his own house no other then his darling son shall rise up against him that he may the more fully conceive how ill God took the sin of him a childe a Saint when he shall know what it is to have his beloved childe traiterously invade his Crown and unnaturally hunt for his precious life yet not a word all this while is heard from Nathan teaching David to unsaint himself and call in question the work of God in his soule No he had no such commission from God he was sent to make him mourne for his sin not from his sin to question his state which God had so oft put out of doubt Secondly when they asperse the riches of Gods grace and so charge the Christian that withal they reflect upon the good Name of God then they are not of the Holy Spirit but from Satan When you finde your sins so represented and aggravated to you as exceeding either the mercy of Gods nature or the grace of his Covenant Hic se aperit diabolus this comes from that foule liar The Holy Spirit is Christs Spokesman to commend him to souls and to wooe sinners to embrace the grace of the Gospel and can such words drop from his sacred lips as should break the match and sink Christs esteem in the thoughts of the creature you may know where this was minted When you hear one commend another for a wise or good man and at last come in with a but that dasheth all you will easily think he is no friend to the man but some slie enemy that by seeming to commend desires to disgrace the more Thus when you finde God represented to you as merciful and gracious but not to such a great sinner as you to have power and strength but not able to save thee you may say Avant Satan thy speech bewrayeth thee SECT III. Thirdly another wile of Satan lies in cavilling at the Christians duties and performances by which he puts him to much toil and trouble He is at Church assoon as thou canst be Christian for thy heart yea he stands under thy closet-window and heares what thou sayest to God in secret all the while studying how he may commence a suit against thee from thy duty like those that come to Sermons to carp and catch at what the Preacher saith that they may make him an offender for some word or other mis-placed or like a cunning Opponent in the Schooles while his adversary is busie in reading his position he is studying to confute it and truly Satan hath such an Art at this that he is able to take our duties in pieces and so disfigure them that they shall appear formal though never so zealous hypocritical though enricht with much sincerity When thou hast done thy duty Christian then stands up this Sophister to ravel out thy work there

to do them good Surely God will have something for the sweat yea lives of his servants which were worne out in striving with such rebellious ones May be yet sinners your firmament is clear no cloud to be seen that portends a storme but know as you use to say winter does not rock in the clouds you shall have it at last every threatening which your faithful Ministers have denounced against you out of the Word God is bound to make good He confirmeth the Word of his servant and performeth the counsel of his messengers and that in judgement against sinners confirming the threatenings as well as in mercy performing the promises which they declare as the portion of his children But it will be time enough to ask such on a sick-bed or a dying houre whether the words of the Lord delivered by their faithful Preachers have not taken hold of them Some have confessed with horrour they have as the Jewes Zech. 1.6 Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us so hath he dealt with us Secondly the Spirit strives with men more immediately when he makes his inward approaches to the consciences of men debating in their own bosoms the case with them one while he shews them their sins in their bloody colours and whether they will surely bring them if not look't to timely which he doth so convincingly that the creature smells sometimes the very fire and brimstone about him and is at present in a temporary hell another while he falls a parlying and treating with them making gracious overtures to the sinner if he will return at his reproof presents the grace of the Gospel and opens a door of hope for his recovery yea falls a wooing and beseeching of him to throw down his rebellious armes and come to Christ for life whose heart is in a present disposition to receive and embrace the first motion the returning sinner makes for mercy Now when the Spirit of God follows the sinner from place to place and time to time suggesting such motions and renewing his old suit and the creature shall fling out of the Spirits hands thus striving with him re infectâ as far from renouncing his lusts or taking any liking to Christ as ever This is to resist the Spirit to his face and it carries so much malignity in it that even where it hath not been final poor humbled soules have been so over-set with the horrour of it that they could not for a long time be perswaded but that it was the unpardonable sin Take heed therefore sinners how you use the Spirit when he comes knocking at the door of your hearts Open at his knock and he will be your guest you shall have his sweet company repulse him and you have not a Promise hee 'll knock again And if once he leave striving with thee unhappy man thou art lost for ever thou liest like a ship cast up by the waves upon some high rock where the tide never comes to fetch it off Thou mayest come to the Word converse with other Ordinances but in vain 'T is the Spirit in them which is both tide and winde to set the soule afloat and carry it on or else it lies like a ship on dry ground which stirs not Secondly we wrestle against God when we wrestle with his Providence and that two wayes First when we are discontented with his providential disposure of us Gods carving for us doth not please us so but that we are objecting against his dealings towards us at least muttering something with the fool in our hearts which God heares as lightly as man our words God counts then we begin to quarrel with him when we do not acquiesce in and say Amen to his Providence whatever it is He calls it a contending with the Almighty Iob. 40.1 yea a reproving of God And he is a bold man sure that dare finde fault with God and article against heaven God challengeth him whoever he is that doth this to answer it at his peril He that reproveth God let him answer it v. 2. of the chapter fore-mentioned It was high time for Iob to have done when he heares what a sense God puts upon those unwary words which drop't from him in the anguish of his Spirit and paroxysme of his sufferings contend with the Almighty reprove God Good man how blank he is and cries out I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth Let God but pardon what is past and he shall hear such language no more O Sirs take heed of this wrestling above all other Contention is uncomfortable with whomsoever it is we fall out Neighbours or friends wife or husband children or servants but worst of all with God If God cannot please thee but thy heart riseth against him what hopes are there of thy pleasing him who will take nothing kindly from that man who is angry with him And how can love to God be preserved in a discontented heart that is alwayes muttering against him Love cannot think any evil of God nor endure to heare anyspeak evil of him but it must take Gods part as Ionathan Davids when Saul spake basely of him and when it cannot be heard will like him arise and be gone When afflicted love can allow thee to groan but not to grumble If thou wilt ease thy incumbred spirit into Gods bosome by prayer and humbly wrestle with God on thy knees love is for thee and will help thee to the best arguments thou canst use to God But if thou wilt vent thy distempered passions and shew a mutinous spirit against God this stabs it to the heart Secondly we wrestle against Providence when uncorrigible under the various dispensations of God towards us Providence has a voice if we had an eare mercies should draw afflictions drive now when neither faire meanes nor foule do us good but we are impenitent under both this is to wrestle against God with both hands Either of these have their peculiar aggravations One is against love and so dis-ingenuous the other is against the smart of his rod and therein we slight his anger and are cruel to our selves in kicking against the pricks Mercy should make us ashamed wrath afraid to sin He that is not ashamed has not the spirit of a man He that is not afraid when smitten is worse then the beast who stands in aw of whip spur Sometimes mercy especially these outward mercies which have a pleasing relish to the carnal part in a Christian hath prov'd a snare to the best of men but then affliction useth to recover them but when affliction makes men worse and they harden themselves against God to sin more and more while the rod is on them what is like to reclaim them few are made better by prosperity whom afflictions make worse He that will sin though he goes in pain will much more if that once be gone But take heed of thus contesting with God

lesse then a God like fear and dread of them by that power he puts forth through divine permission in smiting their goods beasts and bodies as among the Indians at this day Yea there are many among our selves plainly shew what a throne Satan hath in their hearts upon this account such who as if there were not a God in Israel go for help and cure to his Doctours wizzards I mean And truly had Satan no other way to work his will on the soules of men but by this vantage he takes from the body yet considering the degeneracy of mans state how low his soule is sunk beneath its primitive extraction how the body which was a lightsome house is now become a prisoner to it that which was its servant is now become its Master it is no wonder he is able to do so much But besides this he hath as a spirit a neerer way of accesse to the soule and as a superiour spirit yet more over man a lower creature And above all having got within the soule by mans fall he hath now far more power then before so that where he meets not resistance from God he carrries all before him As in the wicked whom he hath so at his devotion that he is in a sense said to do that in them which God doth in the Saints God works effectually in them Gal. 2.8 1 Thes 2.13 Satan worketh effectually in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word with the former places he is in a manner as efficacious with them as the holy Spirit with the other His delusions strong 2 Thes 2.11 They return not re infectâ The Spirit enlightens he blindes the mindes of those that believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 The Spirit fills the Saints Ephes 5.18 Why hath Satan filled thy heart saith Peter to Ananias Acts. 5.3 The Spirit fills with knowledge and the fruits of righteousnesse Satan fills with envy and all unrighteousnesse The holy Spirit fills with comfort Satan the wicked with terrours As in Saul vexed by an evil spirit and Iudas into whom 't is said he entered and when he had satisfied his lust upon him as Amnon on Tamar shuts the door of mercy upon him and makes him that was even now Traitour to his Master Hangman to himselfe And though Saints be not the proper subjects of his power yet they are the chief objects of his wrath his foot stands on the wickeds back but he wrestles with these and when God steps aside he is far above their match He hath sent the strongest among them home trembling and crying to their God with the blood running about their consciences He is mighty both as a tempter to and for sin knowing the state of the Christians affairs so wel able to throw his fire-bals so far into the inward senses whether they be of lust or horrour and to blow up these with such unwearied solicitations that if they at first meet not with some suitable dispositions in the Christian at which as from loose cornes of powder they may take fire which is most ordinary yet in time he may bring over the creature by the length of the siege and continued volleys of such motions to listen to a parley with them if not a yielding to them Thus many times he even wearies out the soule with importunity SECT II. Vse 1 First let this O man make the plumes of thy pride fall whoever thou art that gloriest in thy power hadst thou more then thou or any of the sons of Adam ever had yet what were all that to the power of these Angels Is it the strength of thy body thou gloriest in Alas what is the strength of frail flesh to the force of their spiritual nature thou art no more to these then a childe to a giant a worme to a man who could tear up the mountaines and hurle the world into a confusion if God would but suffer them Is it the strength of thy parts above others doest thou not see what fooles he makes of the wisest among men winding them about as a Sophister would do an Idiot making them believe light is dark bitter is sweet and sweet bitter were not the strength of his parts admirable could he make a rational creature as man is so absurdly throw away his scarlet and embrace dung I mean part with God and the glorious happinesse he hath in him in hope to mend himself by embracing sin Yet this he did when man had his best wits about him in innocency Is it the power of place and dignity got by warlike atchievement Grant thou wert able to subdue Nations and give lawes to the whole world yet even then without grace from above thou wouldest be his slave And he himselfe for all this his power is a cursed spirit the most miserable of all Gods creatures and the more because he hath so much power to do mischief had the devil lost all his Angelical abilities when he fell he had gained by his losse Therefore tremble O man at any power thou hast except thou usest it for God Art strong in body who hath thy strength God or thy lusts some are strong to drink strong to sin Thy bands shall therefore be stronger Isa 28.22 Hast thou power by thy place to do God and his Church service but no heart to lay it out for them but rather against them thou and the devil shall be tried at the same bar it seems thou meanest to go to hell for something thou wilt carry thy full lading thither No greater plague can befall a man then power without grace Such great ones in the world while here make a brave shew like chief Commanders and field-Officers at the head of their Regiments the common souldiers are poor creatures to them but when the Army is beaten and all taken prisoners then they fling off their scarfe and feather and would be glad to passe for the meanest in the army Happy would devils be Princes and great ones in the world be if then they could appear in the habit of some poor sneaks to receiv their sentence as such but then their titles and dignity and riches shall be read not for their honour but further shame and damnation Vs e 2 Secondly it shewes the folly of those that think it is such an easie matter to get heaven If the devil be so mighty and heavens way so full of them then sure it will cost hot water before we display our banners upon the walls of that new Ierusalem Yet it is plain many think otherwise by the provision they make for their march If you should see a man walking forth without a cloak or with a very thin one you will say Surely he fears no foule weather or one riding a long journey alone and without armes you will conclude he expects no thieves on the road All if you ask them will tell you they are on their way to heaven but how few care for

not crying out upon the devil and declaiming against sin in prayer or discourse but fighting and mortifying it that God looks chiefly upon such a one else doth but beat the aire there are no marks to be seen on his flesh and unmortified lusts that he hath fought Paul was in earnest he left a witnesse upon his body made black and blew with stroaks of mortification It was not a little vapouring in sight of the Philistines that got David his wife but shedding their blood And is it so small a matter to be son to the King of Heaven that thou thinkest to obtain it without giving a real proof of thy zeal for God and hatred to sin Not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man saith the Apostle shall be blessed in his deed James 1.25 Mark not by his deed but in his deed he shall meet blessednesse in that way of obedience he walks in The empty Professour disappoints others who seeing his leaves expect fruit but finde none and at last he disappoints himself he thinks to reach heaven but shall misse of it Tertullian speaks of some that think Satìs Deum habere si corde animo suspiciatur licèt actu minus fiat God hath enough they think if he be feared and reverenced in their hearts though in their actions they shew it not so much and therefore they can sin and believe in God and feare him never the worse This saith he is to play the Adulteresse and yet be chaste to prepare poison for ones father and yet be dutiful but let such know saith the same father that if they can sin and believe God will pardon them with a contradiction also he 'll forgive them but they shall be turn'd into hell for all that As ever you would stand at last look you be found doing the work your Lord hath left you to make up and trust not to lying words as the Prophet speaks Jer. 7. SECT II. Secondly Observe that such is the mercy of God in Christ to his children that he accepts their weak endeavours joyn'd with sincerity and perseverance in his service as if they were full obedience and therefore they are here said to have done all O who would not serve such a Lord you hear servants sometimes complain of their Masters to be so rigid and strict that they can never please them no not when they do their utmost But this cannot be charged upon God Be but so faithful as to do thy best and God is so gracious that he will pardon thy worst David knew this Gospel-indulgence when he said Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Psal 119.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when my eye is to all thy Commandments The Traveller hath his eye on or towards the place he is going though he be yet short of it there he would be and is putting on all he can to reach it So stands the Saints heart to all the Commands of God he presseth on to come nearer and nearer to full obedience such a soul shall never be put to shame But wo to those that cover their sloth with the name of infirmity yea that spend their zeal and strength in the pursuit of the world or their lusts and then think to make all up when charg'd therwith That it is their infirmity and they can serve God no better These do by God as those two did by their Prince Francis the first of France who cut off their right hand one for another and then made it an excuse they were lame and so could not serve in his Galleys for which they were sent to the Gallowes Thus many will be found at last to have disabled themselves by refusing that help the Spirit hath offered to them yea wasted what they had given them and so shall be rewarded for hypocrites as they are God knows how to distinguish between the sincerity of a Saint in the midst of his infirmities and the shifts of a false heart But we will wave these and briefly speak to foure points which lie clear in the words First here is the necessity of perseverance Having done all 2ly here is the necessity of divine Armour to persevere til we have done al. Wherfore else bids he them take this armour for this end if they could do it without Thirdly here is the certainty of persevering and overcoming at last if clad with this Armour else it were small encouragement to bid them take that Armour which would not surely defend them Fourthly here is the blessed result of the Saints perseverance propounded as that which will abundantly recompence all their pain and patience in the war having done all to stand From these follow foure distinct Points First he that will be Christs souldier must persevere Secondly there can be no perseverance without true grace in the heart Thirdly where true grace is that soul shall persevere Fourthly to stand at the end of this war will abundantly recompence all our hazard and hardship endured in the warre SECT III. He that will be Christs souldier must persevere to the end of his life in this war against Satan This Having done all comes in after our conflict with death That ye may be able to withst and in the evil day then follows And having done all We have not done all till that pitch't battel be fought The last enemy is death The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports as much as to finish a businesse and bring a matter to a full issue so Phil. 2.12 where we translate it well Work out your salvation that is perfect it be not Christians by halves but go through with it the through Christian is the true Christian Not he that takes the field but he that keeps the field not he that sets out but he that holds out in this holy war deserves the name of a Saint There is not such a thing in this sense belonging to Christianity as an honourable retreat not such a word of command in all Christs military Discipline as fall back and lay down your armes No you must fall on and stand to your armes till call'd off by death First we are under a Covenant and Oath to do this Formerly souldiers used to take an oath not to flinch from their colours but faithfully to cleave to their Leaders this they called Sacramentum militare a military oath Such an oath lies upon every Christian It is so essential to the being of a Saint that they are described by this Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints together those that have made a Covenant with me We are nor Christians till we have subscribed this Covenant and that without any reservation When we take upon us the Profession of Christs Name we list our selves in his muster-roll and by it do promise that we will live and die with him in opposition to all his enemies Every Nation will walk in the name of his God and we will