Gods Three Arrows, Section 10 – Section 14
§. 10. Of valour requiſite for Souldiers.
THe next concerning your Valorous Diſpoſition, is this.
Military Men muſt be of mighty minds. They muſt be Men indeed, and able to play the Men. The ſigne of difference Tria arbitror eſſe neceſſaria praelianti: ut ſcil. ſtrenuus induſtrius que miles, & circum ſpectus ſit ad ſe ſervandum, & expeditus ad diſcurrendum, & promptus ad feriendum. Bern ad Mil. Temp. c. 2betwixt ſuch as were fit and unfit for Warre, that God cauſed Gedeon to obſerve for retaining ſome, and diſmiſſing others, tendeth to this purpoſe. The ſigne was this: They which lapped water with their tongues were entertained: They which kneeled downe to drinke were caſhiered. The Reaſon was this. They that kneeled downe to drinke, manifeſted thereby a luskiſh, ſluggiſh diſpoſition, and deſire to ſoope up their bellies full. The other that took up water in their hands, and lapped it with their tongues, ſhewed that their mind was ſo on their worke which they had to do, as they would not tarry to kneele downe; they would onelyonly lap and be gone, a little for preſent neceſſity, ſo much as might ſomewhat ſlacke their thirſt, and refreſh them, was ſufficient. Gods appointing ſuch onelyonly to be retained for Warre, proveth the point in hand. Much more the expreſſe precepts which by God himſelfe and his Miniſters, were given unto thoſe that were ſet apart for Warre, to be valiant, and couragious. When God deputed Ioſhua to be Generall over all Iſrael, he gave him this expreſſe charge, Be ſtrong and of a good courage: which he further thus enforceth, Have not I commanded thee? Be Ioſ. 1. 6.ſtrong and of a good courage: Be not afraid, neither be thou —9.diſmayed. The like charge did Moſes in the name of the Lord give to all Iſrael, that were deputed to War, in theſe words: Be ſtrong and of a good courage, feare not, nor be afraid of them. Yea, God ordained it for a perpetuall Law, that when Deut. 31. 7.his people were to go to Warre, this Proclamation ſhould be made, What man is there that is fearefull and faint-hearted? let him go and returne unto his houſe. This Law God commanded Deut. 20. 8.Gideon, to proclaime before his army. The equity thereof was ſo clearely diſcerned by the very light of nature, Iudg. 7. 3.as many of the Heathen put it in practice: by name, Iphicrates the Athenian, and Epaminondas the Theban. If ſuch as are fearfull and faint-hearted be not fit for Warre, neither De Iſraelitarum virtute in bell is gerendis lege Aug. de Mirab. S▪ Script. l. 2. c. 34. Iud 20. 17. foreign 2 Chron. 13. 3.are they fit to be trained up in Martiall Exerciſes. Moſt meet it is that Military Men be of mighty minds. It is uſuall with the Holy Ghoſt to ſet out ſuch men as were trained up and ſet apart to Warre, to ſet them out by their power and proweſſe. Of thoſe foure hundred thouſand men, that out of all the Tribes of Iſrael were choſen to fight againſt Benjamin and Gibeah, of every one of them it is ſaid that he was foreign Vir belli, a true Man of Warre, a valiant, a mighty man. Of thoſe many hundred thouſands which Ioab numbred in Davids time, it is ſaid that they were valiant men that drew ſwords, even every one of them (as the Hebrew phraſe implyeth.) And of thoſe many hundred thouſands alſo which out of Iudah and Iſrael were gathered together in two armies to fight one againſt another in Abijahs, and Ieroboams time, it is ſaid that they were *The Hebrew is very emphaticall, foreign the emphaſis whereof being obſerved by the LXX. is thus expreſſed, foreign mighty in might.valiant men of Warre, mighty men of valour: which commendation is alſo given to thoſe many troupes of trained ſouldiers which Iehoſaphat maintained in Ieruſalem, 2 Chron. 17. 13. When David purpoſed to take vengeance of Ammon for the indignity and ignominy which was offered to his Ambaſſadours, he ſent Ioab and all the Hoſt of the Mighty men againſt them. Before the good Spirit of God left Saul, when he ſaw any ſtrong 2 Sam 10. 7. 1 Sam. 14. 52.man, or any valiant man, he tooke him unto him, namely to traine him up in Martiall diſcipline. Of David himſelfe, and 2 Sam. 17. 10.of ſuch as followed him, it is ſaid, that all Iſrael knew that he was a mighty man, and they valiant men. And of thoſe that came to him in Ziklag, it is ſaid that they were Mighty 1 Chron. 12. 1, 2, 8, 21.Men, mighty men of valour, that could uſe both theright hand and the left: men of might; men of Warre; fit for the battell; that could handle ſhield and buckler: whoſe faces were like the faces of Lyons, &c. Doth not this frequent mention of the might and valour of ſuch as were for Warre, ſhew, that they that take upon them to be Military men, muſt be of mighty minds; and that timorous, weake, and feeble perſons are not fit for the Artillery profeſſion?
§. 11. Of the damage of timorous ſouldiers.
VVHere God firſt enacted the fore-named Law, that no fearefull perſons ſhould goe to Warre, he rendreth this Reaſon, Leaſt his brethrens heart faint like his. Lamentable Deut. 20. 8.experience hath given too great evidence of the truth hereof. A few white-liverd, faint-hearted ſouldiers have oft beene the ruine of a great ſtrong Army which hath beene put to rout by reaſon of their fainting, and yeelding, ſo as ſuch men are more fit to ſtoope downe to a ſythe, then to take vp a ſword, to lift a pitchforke then to toſſe a pike, to handle a mattocke then to hold a musket, and to carrie a buſh-bill rather then a battell-axe. But on the other ſide, of ſuch uſe are valiant men and valorous minds, as their courage may ſupply the want of number: and though they be but few, not feare the face of many. It is noted that Abraham armed three hundred and eighteene, to expreſſe not the Numeravit 318 Vt ſcias non quantitatem numeriſed meritum electionis expreſſum. Amb. de Abr. Patr. l 1 c 3. 2 Sam 23. 8, 9, &c. 1 Chron 12 14. Levit 26. 8.number of many, but the worth of choice ones. Well weigh the mighty and great exploits that were atchieved by Davids Worthies, by reaſon of their valour and courage, and you ſhall find, that a few couragious men to great armies of cowards, are as ſo many Lyons to whole heards of deere: Five may chaſe an hundred, and an hundred put ten thouſand to flight. Is it not then moſt meet that Military Men be of mighty minds?
§. 12. Of Righteouſneſſe making valorous.
IN applying this point. I will give you a divine direction for attaining to that which hath beene proved to be ſo requiſite, valor and courage. The direction is grounded on one of Salomons Proverbs, which is this, The wicked flie when no Pro. 28. 1.man purſueth: but the righteous are bold as a lyon. Righteouſneſſe then maketh men valorous, wickedneſſe timorous. Quis tam ſortis quam ſanctus Amb. Offic. l 1 c 39. Who to be accounted righteous. Pſal. 14. 3. Rom 3 10. Impavidus profectò miles, & omni ex parte ſecurus, qui ut corpus ferro, ſic animum fidei lorica induitur, utrius que nimirum indutus armis, nec daemonem timet, nec hominem. Bern, Serm. ad Mil, Temp c. 1.They who know who are righteous, who wicked, cannot but acknowledge the truth of this proverbe. A righteous man cannot be here thought to be ſuch an one as hath in every part, point, and degree fulfilled the Law of righteouſneſſe according to the exact rule thereof. So there is none righteous: no not one. But in Goſpel-phraſe he is accounted righteous, that by true Faith applying to his ſoule the bloud of Chriſt, for purging away all his unrighteouſneſſe, and laying hold on Chriſts righteouſneſſe, to be juſtified thereby, doth his uttermoſt endeavour to keepe a cleare conſcience before God and Man. This man of all others muſt needs be the moſt valorous, whoſe ſoule is fenced with the breſtplate of righteouſneſſe, and ſhield of Faith, as well as his body, with armour and weapons of ſteele. He feareth nor Divell nor man. His conſcience will make him fight in none but a good cauſe. His Faith will make him couragious in that cauſe. If in his body he be wounded, he hath *Pro. 18. 14.a Spirit to ſuſtain his infirmity. No paſſion can ſo ſupply the want of bloud and ſupport a man, as this Spirit. Might of mind may overcome the force of fire. But if the earthen veſſell of S. Laurentius animi virtute vincebat ignis naturam. Amb. Offic. l. 1 c. 41. Et ſihoſtes nos perimant, nullum lamen ad animas periculum migrat, &c. Chryſ. Hom. 7. in 1 Tim c. 2. Sive in lecto, ſive in bello quis meritur, precioſa erit ſine du bio in conſpectu domini mors ſanctorum. Coe…erum in bello tantò profecto pretioſior, quanto glorieſior. Bern. loc. citat.his body be ſo broken, as it can no longer retaine this ſpirit, then flieth it upward to the place of reſt and triumph, paſſage being made for that righteous ſoule to aſcend to the ſociety of the ſoules of juſt men made perfect: ſo as the ſuppoſed conqueſt over ſuch anone is the cauſe of his triumph, and maketh him more then a Conquerour. The death of his Saints is precious in the ſight of the Lord. But in Warre ſo much more precious it is, by how much more glorious. Get faith therefore and a good conſcience, get them, and keepe them, and they will keepe you from faint-heartedneſſe: they will put life, and ſpirit, and virtue, and valour into you: they will make you fit for the Artillery profeſſion: they will make you men indeed, true military men, of mighty minds.
§. 13. Of wickedneſſe making timorous.
ON the contrary ſide, A wicked man muſt not every one be accounted, that hath committed any ſinne, (for All have ſinned:) but ſuch an one as loveth wickedneſſe, and liveth therein, and that without true repentance. Faith Rom. 3. 23.which is accompanied with repentance, receiveth abſolution from God. Abſolution from God maketh ſinnes to be as not committed. For, the bloud of Chriſt, which cleanſeth us from all ſinne, cleanſeth all that believe and repent. But infidelity 1 Iohn 1. 7.and impenitency lay all ſinnes open to the wrath and vengeance of God. Knowledge and conſcience thereof cannot but fill the ſoule with many feares and terrours: whence Lev. 26. 36. D. Barlow in his Sermon preached at Pauls Croſſe. March 1. 1600. being the next Sunday after the execution of the late Earle of Eſſex.it commeth to paſſe that ſuch wicked men feare and flie, when none purſueth them. Thus much is expreſly threatned againſt ſuch wicked men. I will ſend, ſaith God, a faintneſſe into their hearts, and the ſound of a ſhaken leafe ſhall chaſe them, and they ſhall flie as flying from a ſword, and they ſhall fall when none purſueth, &c. It was the ſpeech of the valorous Earle of Eſſex, that Sometimes in the field encountering the enemy, the weight of his ſinnes lying heavy upon his conſcience, being not reconciled to God, quelled his ſpirits, and made him the moſt timorous and fearefull man that might be. Take heed therefore, O yee Captaines, Commanders, and other Members of the Artillery Company, take heed, as you would have your inward diſpoſition fit for your outward profeſſion, of ſuffering ſinne to lie up on your ſoules. Let your function be a motive to make you trie the truth of your converſion. Be ye righteous, that you may be indeed couragious.
§. 14. Of courage againſt ſpirituall enemies.
ANd to take occaſion from your externall profeſſion to put you in mind of your ſpirituall condition, which is, to be Souldiers of Chriſts bands, under his colours, whoſe Artillery Garden is the Church Militant, where your Martiall diſcipline in which you are daily trained up, is not for recreation and paſtime, but in very good earnest, to conquer, unleſſe you will be conquered, and that in a combate of great conſequence, wherin no earthly, but an heavenly inheritance is fought for, and for attaining thereto, not liberty of this world, but of the world to come, not a temporall, but eternall life is in great hazard. If ye overcome, ye are free for ever, and gaine an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in heaven. If ye be overcome, 1 Pet. 1. 4.ye are perpetuall ſlaves to Satan, that malicious enemy, who will hold you with everlaſting chaines under darkneſſe in torture and torment endleſſe and eaſeleſſe, mercileſſe and remedileſſe. To put you in mind, I ſay, of this your ſpirituall condition, know that if valour, and the forementioned ground thereof be ſo requiſite, as hath beene ſhewed, againſt bodily enemies, which are but fleſh and bloud, how much more againſt ſpirituall enemies, which are not fleſh and bloud, but principalities and powers. Theſe eſpecially, we ought to reſiſt ſtedfast in the Faith. The chiefe ſpirituall enemie of our ſoules, the Devill, from whom all our other ſpirituall enemies receive their ſtrength and courage, is like a Wolfe, and that as in fierceneſſe, ſo in fearefulneſſe. A Wolfe, if he be ſtoutly reſiſted, will flie away, but if he be fearefully ſhunned or yeelded unto, then he will the more fiercely aſſault, and more greedily devoure. Even ſo the Devill: Reſist the Devill and he will flie from you. Give I am 4. 7. Libentius te inſequitur adverſarius fugientem, quain ſuſtineat repugnantem & audecius inſiſlit à lergo, quam reſiſtat in faciem. Bern. Epiſt. 1. ad Rob. Nepot. ſuum. Eph. 6. 10, 11. 1 Cor. 16. 13.place, and yeeld, and he will the more eagerly purſue, and the more eaſily prevaile. Neither, if he prevaile, will he any whit the more ſpare thee for thy yeelding to him, but rather the more proudly inſult overthee. Wherefore, my Brethren, be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might: Put on the whole armour of GOD, that ye may be able to ſtand againſt the wiles of the Divell. Being thus armed, Watch ye, ſtand fast in the Faith, quit you like men, and be ſtrong: ſtand couragiouſly, and ye ſhall ſtand victoriouſly.