one is life and of the other hell death and damnation Whether agreeth best with the honor and reputation of a souldier to be carnall and careles or to bee watchfull and sober Put away then all wrath anger maliciousnes cursed and filthie speaking out of your mouthes It shall nothing diminish your valour neither shall you appeare more singular then becommeth Christians if you cleerely put off the old man with all his workes which clogge you that you cannot march rightly like souldiers to the end of true honor Put on the new man which is shaped in holinesse and knowledge for by it most high and pretious things are gotten euen al things that pertaine to life and godlines through the knowledge of him that hath called vs all from the corruptions which are in this world to be partakers of heauenly things And therefore we must indeuour to adde vertue to vertue and faith to faith that we may attaine to that absolute perfection which imbracing temperance bringeth foorth patience which importeth that contentation that is neuer moued with any temptation but delighteth only in godlines approued by brotherly kindnes which commeth of loue He that attaineth vnto this marke which is set before all men to aime at hath the true fruites of the knowledge of our chief Lord and commander Christ who knoweth how to deliuer his out of all temptations and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished and chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lusts of vncleannes and despise gouernment which are presumptuous and stand in their owne conceit and feare not to speake euill of them that are in authoritie ouer them Thus doth the spirit most euidently depaint out the true mortification of our corruptions and the terrible threats of Gods vengeance for disobedieÌ„ce to Rulers and loosenes of life It is dangerous to shew our selues rebellious against this sacred counsell And by their patience souldiers may be put in minde of too much forgetfulnes of their duties to God and their immoderate boldnes to sinne wherein as I cannot altogether excuse my selfe or any other so I heartilie wish reformation in all and all estates For it is time to thinke of Gods iudgements begun not onely against our Christian armies abroad encountering the Turkes our owne and our neighbours neere but also against our selues here at home whom God hath forwarned to forsake our pleasures by plagues lately past by dearth and famine present and by warres threatned Among many other enormities proceeding of the want of warres true discipline it is not the least that our pretended souldiers returning from the warres should haue either hearts in themselues or sufferance by law to become vagabonds for their parts they bewray their cowardly mindes in that they will leaue the honorable practise of warre and betake them to ignominious begging whereby the profession of armes is dishonored and the Magistrates power is thereby discredited the force of the lawes shewed to be of small effect and the common quiet disturbed But for such idle persons as pretending shame to begge which indeede is shamefull to able persons seeme not to be ashamed that they work and labour not which is both an honest and godly meane to relieue themselues without disparagement of the reputation of their militarie profession as they vainly pretend it Indeede such is the casuall course of warre that thereby sometime the rich are made poore and the poore inriched And therefore it behooueth a souldier to lay downe before hand to bee constant in euery fortune for if he faint vnder the burden of the aduerse and become more grieued than agreeth with his professed magnanimitie hee bewraieth himselfe to be but a dastard For it is no shame for a man to become poore for his countrie in the warres but the disgrace is his countries if he deserue well and yet wanteth reliefe If he be ouer much eleuated in conceit with prosperitie he bewraieth his vainglorie which hee knoweth by experience may alter in a moment If he bee sicke in the warres it is incident euen to Princes that liue in pleasure at home with dainties and phisicke therfore let the souldier beare it with courage wherein it beseemeth the most worthie yea the best Commanders to be seene carefull that al possible comfort be yeelded to such as are visited for that they haue no reliefe or comfort but inwardly from God in whom they ought to trust and from their companions strangers in effect who indeede if they be true souldiers will aide one another To be wounded in the warres is glorie and to dye in a iust cause purchaseth immortall memorie And because of all other things incident to militarie men nothing is so certaine as death for that it is decreed that all flesh shall dye and the effect of warre is to kill and to destroy men euery souldier must say vnto himselfe when hee goeth to the warres hee goeth to finish a long pilgrimage Though wee see it happeneth not to all souldiers to dye in the warres yet some spend many yeares euen from their yong yeares to gray haires continually in the warres induring many bickerings fightings hurts and hurting and yet end their daies in peace at home in their beds Our own late deseruers testifie the same to their glorie that shall not dye But admit thou knewest thou shouldest die in the field be couragious for death neuer appaleth the vertuous For as Cicero saith All wisemen dye willingly But the word of God affirmeth that the godly dye more willingly for that they be the Lords And that made Thomas to exhort his fellowes to dye with Christ. Paul sheweth a reason why the godly need not onely not to feare but to bee willing to dye namely to be with Christ. There is a notable mirror of this disdaine of death in Callicratides General vnto the Lacedemonians who being readie to giue battell to his enemies was warned by his Soothfayer that the entrailes of the sacrifice promised victorie to the armie but death to the Captaine whereunto he answered as one resolute to dye Sparta consisteth not in one man for when I shall bee dead my countrie shall be nothing lessened but if I to saue my self should absent me from the battell or goe backe the reputation thereof will be diminished Whereupon he substituted Cleander in his place and gaue battell wherein he was slaine What Christian souldier will not imitate his râ—solution to dye sith wee haue a better assurance to liue after death And if our Creator haue decreed our death sith it cannot be auoided let no man couet to start aside contrary to dutie in hope of safetie for it not onely auaileth nothing but it increaseth the burden of our feare and it argueth distrust in his prouidence that made vs and who can find vs out and confound vs. But rather grounding our assurance
whereof truly to glorie onely the stinke of their ambition and slaughter of men remaineth And our present enemies testifie their apt imitation of these tyrants in all their victories wherein they regarde nothing more then the number of townes burned and of men women and children murthered And he priseth his reputation dearest that hath inhumanely bereaued most of life and most tyrannously behaued himselfe in the warres without feare of God or clemencie towards man shewing thereby how farre they degenerate in affection from true Christians that imbrace compassion and mercy as the badges of true religion which teacheth that wee ought to conforme our mindes to a godly proceeding in the affayres of warre without rigour tyrannie and superstitious lenitie And to this end ought all men called to the profession of armes to be furnished with diuine vertues that all their proceedings may sauour of godlines and godly boldnes And for as much as by reason of our vsurped libertie to sinne more in this profession then is fit in any we are depriued as of our owne natures of the true knowledge of that good course which in these dangers of warre is to be taken And therefore all militarie men ought to haue continuall counsell and consultation with the God of armies disclayming their owne wisedomes iudgements and valour and to followe what is commanded in or agreeth with his word The Common-wealth of Israel was held happie for that it might aske and receiue counsell and direction in all their proceedings of God by Vrim and Thummim But much more blessed are we in that the diuine light shineth vnto vs in Christ whereby the true meaning of the spirit is expounded in the word of trueth whereunto all men are inuited freely to referre themselues and therein to search diligently what dutie is required of them in their seuerall functions for therein hath God declared his mind and will concerning all things wherewith man hath to deale in this life From thence must euery degree be furnished with warrant and direction how to proceede in their professions therein is the Prince taught how to rule rightly the subiects how to obey loyally therein are Commanders in the warres directed how to dispose of their charge wisely and the inferiour souldiers may therein learne how to frame both their affections and all their proceedings godly And for that the office of a souldier is a calling of higher reckoning and of greater moment then it is commonly reputed by the generall and rude multitude yea then it is considered to be of the most that vndertake to carrie armes in the field and of some that beare office in the warres it is requisite that all should vnderstand what burthen they beare that they may also learne to discharge the same so as they may be worthie to be called what they desire to bee For as the life is to the bodie so is vertue to the minde and the diuine spirit to the soule the bodie without life is but a dunghill the minde without vertue is but a sinke or gulfe of filthie cogitations and the soule without the heauenly comforter is but a forlorne captiue vnder the Prince of darknes Ignorance of the will of God is a darke clowde that shadoweth all diuine qualities and that smoothereth euery sacred grace and speciall fauour receiued at the hands of the highest whereby a souldier becommeth oftentimes proud of vanitie and couetous and greedie of vitious and hurtfull in stead of vertuous and profitable things whereby he becommeth conquered of his owne carnall affections making himselfe thereby vnfit to vndertake that honorable action which onlie is proper to the vertuous and to such as feare God Such as are armed with diuine habiliments within aswell as girded with militarie furniture without For who so considereth that he fighteth for the Lords cause for his Princes state his countries good and his owne honour cannot but thinke himselfe bound to cast off all impediments that may hinder his prosperitie or blemish his reputation therein For there is no assurance in things displeasing the King of Kings in things vnsauourie to the spirit of God who being on our side giueth vs victorie but if we defraude him of the reuerence and honour due vnto him from our selues at home and from our men of warâ—e abroad wee haue no assurance that he is with vs and for vs. And therefore when we goe foorth with our Armies saith Moses we must then keepe vs from all wickednesse for that the Lord himselfe walketh in the middest of our campeâ— to deliuer vs and to giue the enemie into our hands if we be holie but to destroy vs if we be prophane faithles and wicked And it hâ—th been euer a noted subtiltie of a wicked enemie prompted by Sathan to lay traps and snares to cause Christians to sinne Search saith Achior if there bee any wickednesse among them then shall wee surely destroy them otherwise we shall neuer preuaile against them for their God will defend them And it seemeth that our aduersaries haue no greater encouragement then to see the fruites of our grosse corruptions affirming that wee feare not God because wee transgresse his will so boldly and aboue all they take notice of the vnciuill behauiour and licentious liues of our men in the warres grounding greater hope to preuaile by reason of our sinnes then by their owne forces Experience hath long tolde vs that there hath been defect of vertuous exercises among men of militarie profession who seeking to be renowmed begin not at the feare of God but yeelding their mindes captiue to sinne come conquered into the field and therefore their enterprises often faile of victorie But howsoeuer some deeme the contrary it doth higly dignifie men of armes to feare and serue the liuing God and to bee at one with him before they presume to march to the battell or vndertake to beare armes in the field And all such as are called to that high and worthie calling ought to be changed in their minds casting off all the former lusts of the flesh to shape their affections after a more holie order for the neerer they resemble the great conqueror by participation of his diuine vertues so much the more powerfull shall they become and bee partakers also of his glorie by conquering by him as were Gideon Barac Sampson Iepthath Dauid Samuel and many other that in and by him ouercame kingdomes and obtained many admirable victories against their enemies It is an honorable thing in Commanders to be able to exhort by word to godlines of life but more honorable when their exhortation is ioyned with the example of a vertuous life for the one proceedeth from the tongue which may dissemble before the world the other from the heart which is knowne to God And he that is truely sound within cannot but appeare vnto others to be so for he will bring foorth the fruites of approbation among which it is not the least to haue care of the choice
the weapons they beare so it behooueth him daily to take view of his vertues how they stand vndefiled and how he hath subdued the sundrie enterprises and preuented the many inuasions of vaine desires which often preuaile where watch is not kept ouer the thoughts Euery pleasure that a man imbraceth is a delight either of the bodie or of the minde but where there is an absolute consent there is the whole man become a captiue and a slaue to that whereby he is ouercome whether it be the lust of the eye or concupiscence of the flesh which indeede include all the rest And therfore aboue all other persons the martiall man who standeth vpon his magnanimitie and fortitude vpon his ordering and gouerning of things tending to victorie must stand vpon his valour in thâ—se assaults of sinne wherewith if hee suffer himselfe to be ouercome he loseth the greatest part of his glorie in that he presupposâ—th an abilitie to encounter any other man and yet is ouercome of his owne weakenes as if a man should inuade a house abroad and lose his owne citie at home But it is a great argument that hee that can subdue him selfe and resist the pleasures of sinne is worthie to be a souldier in the warres yea he deserueth the place of a Leader because he knoweth how to conquer the greatest and mightiest enemie which indeede is his owne delight and carnall desires whereof whosoeuer is ouercome is not worthie the name of a souldier much lesse of the place of a Commander But I haue heard some of no small place in the warres affirme with no lesse audacious insolencie then hee ought to haue sinceritie that it is enough for the Ministrie to be masters of sinne and that it beseemeth souldiers to liue like souldiers to sweare like souldiers and to sinne like souldiers Wherein he shewed little the parts of a true souldier but rather thereby discouering the libertie of souldiers the securitie and careles liues of souldiers who ought indeede to striue to goe before all other sorts of men in vertue and godlinesse hauing like soule and like bodie like account to make and like reward to receiue Nay what should so besot a souldier or miscarrie a Gouernour that they should not haue greater regard to liue well then all other sorts of men considering that other men haue naturall infirmities onely and accidentall casualties to bring their carcases to the graue but they beside those haue the furie of mortall blowes and danger of the bullet to finish their race suddenly And therefore should so vprightly walke in their liues and conuersations as becommeth Saints knowing this that after death is no redemption And that they shall answer for euery sinne they commit and for euery idle word they shall speake much more for euery oth they vainly sweare for euery blasphemie against God and for euery iniurie done to their brethren And it will bee no excuse to say I was a Souldier I was a Captaine I was a Generall and I sinned but like a Souldier I did but like a Captaine or like a Generall This generall answer will be a generall rebuke to as many as take not hold by times of the promised mercie in Christ in true repentance reformation faith and exercise of all godlines and pietie I counsell therefore euery militarie man to whom especially I bend my speech in this poore treatise that he will bethinke himselfe that he is a man and that he must liue as a godlie man that he may dye like a godly man If he be honorable and haue dominion and rule ouer others he resembleth the neerer the diuine power of religious men faithfull and fearefull to sin he so much the neerer commeth to the heauenly nature If he be a man inferiour and knoweth his dutie to God and forgetteth or neglecteth it God will remember it against him in iudgement If he be ignorant and refuse knowledge his iudgement shall be iust But the poorest fearing God is alreadie exalted to the high and powerfull protection of the chiefe Soueraigne whose hand hath taken charge to support him in the field and to adorne him with the diademe of mercie which is the crowne of eternall glorie after death I haue aymed this sillie treatise to the good of the most glorious Commaunders and officers in our warres in simple termes and vnfained zeale of their welfare whose prosperitie as it is the generall happines of all so all ought to set their helpes by best practises and pray that God will blesse their proceedings And because the function of militarie gouernment is high and sacred Reason willeth and true duetie and reuerence to God commandeth that all suspition of offending that high commander Iehouah should be taken away by clensing euery part of this bodie of gouernment from the daungers likely to fall on vs by suffering vnlawfull things to follow our armies And although no doubt â—uery Commander in policie grounded vpon true religion can of himselfe discouer the enormities and reforme them which seeme to be most perillous yet I may vnder their patieÌ„ce briefly remember that where the discipline of warre is truly executed there is commonly good successe and where it is neglected there it is vncertaine And therefore if abominable blasphemies beastly drunkennes common carding dicing and whoredome Atheisme and Papisme with such like were repressed no doubt but vertuous exercises wold be better accouÌ„ted of for God would blesse the godly endeuours of the Commanders and fructifie the obedience of them that are commanded And for the more profitable exercising of all it behooueth the Generall to enioyne his Captaines the Captaines their souldiers that they will abandon Jdlenes the mother of all sinfull actions and that they will betake them to the hearing reading and discoursing of the diuine word which is the lanterne to light them to true dutie both to God and their gouernours And let the spirituall minded haue encouragement that they may strengthen the more weake either by conference or reading some diuine treatise to the increase of a more generall knowledge and zeale in all wherein they may betake themselues to often prayer that God may garde their courts of gard and be present in their armies to comfort euery member by supply of their priuate and publike wants And what can this diuine course of life and daily exercise impayre the credite honour or reputation of the chiefest Nay what an ornament will it be vnto them to be seene first in the sacred seruice of God with the people It is too coldly imbraced of many and lâ—ttle practised of the most who thinke it more coÌ„sonant to their professions to betake them to more offensiue exercises wherein neither can the God of heauen be glorified nor their dutie in armes truly discharged What hope then can there bee of victorie or good successe which commeth of nothing els nor by any other meanes