Gods Three Arrows, Section 6 – Section 9
§. 6. Of the honour of a Souldiers function.
THe Artillery profeſſion is an honourable function.
To treat much of the Artillery profeſſion, before this Artillery Company, would be to act aCum Phermio de Imperatoris officio, & omnire militari ſic dixiſſet, ut cae…ri qui illum audirent vehementer eſſent delectati, Annibal interrogatus quid de illo Philoſopho iudicaret, reſpondit, multos ſe deliros ſenes ſaepè vidiſſe, ſed qui magis quam Phormio de…raret, vidiſſe neminem. Cic. de Orat. lib. 2.Phormio his part before ſo many Annibals as are here preſent. You all know that the Artillery Profeſſion is a Military Diſcipline, whereby choice perſons are inſtructed and enabled well to manage weapons of Warre, orderly to march in their due place, wiſely to encampe, and skilfully to embattaile. That to be trained up hereto, and well exerciſed herein, is an honourable function, belongeth to me, and to the matter in hand, to prove. How it appeareth by my text to be an honourable function, ye have heard. Hittites, Amorites, Perizites, Hivites, Iebuſites, and ſuch like ſervile perſons comming from a baſe of-ſpring, The ſouldiers profeſſion, and honourable function.were counted unworthy hereof. In Iſrael Iſraelites, Children of the ever renowned Patriarchs, Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, Men of higheſt and greateſt eſteeme, THEY were Men of Warre. That function whereof baſe people were counted unworthy, and whereunto Men of beſt account muſt be deputed, is foreign, without contradiction an honourable function. To like purpoſe it is noted that Abraham Gen. 23. 6.—14. 14.himſelfe, that Prince of God (as he is for excellency ſake ſtiled) trained up in Artillery exerciſes, not bond-ſlaves, bought with his money, but ſuch as were borne and brought up in his houſe, whom he had in high eſteeme. THEY were Men of Warre. Where as old Iſhai, an underſtanding and wiſe man had eight ſonnes, the three moſt honourable of 1 Sam. 17. 12, 13.them all, even the three eldeſt, were trained up in an Artillery profeſſion, THEY were Men of Warre. And though David, being the youngeſt of all, were by his Father deputed to be a ſhepheard, yet his brave mind affecting more honourable imployments, whereunto alſo he was incited 1 Sam. 17. 32, &c.by divine inſtinct, he would needs prove to be a man of Warre, and indeed proved to be an approved Man of Warre. Saul himſelfe though a King, Ionathan, that lovely Ionathan, —18. 27, 30. Who of old were men of Warre.the Kings Sonne and heire, other of his brethren, all Kings Sonnes, THEY were Men of Warre. Of old, the beſt of a Nation, beſt in bloud and birth, as Kings, Princes, Nobles, their children and kindred: beſt in ſtature and properneſſe of body, as the three tall, proper ſonnes of Iſhai: beſt in courage, valour, and ſtrength, as they whom Saul choſe to follow him: beſt any other way, THEY were Men of Warre. 1 Sam. 14. 52.What ſhall I more ſay? For the time would faile me to ſpeake in particular of Ioſhua, Gedeon, Iepthah, David, Iehoſaphat, Hezekiah, Ioſiah, and other like worthies, royall perſons, that were trained up in the Artillery Profeſſion, and thereupon waged many battels valiantly and victoriouſly. THEY were Men of Warre. We read of few battels in Scripture, wherein Kings, or other chiefe Governours had not their place and part. In Aſſyria, Perſia, Greece, and Rome, the foure great Monarchies of the World, and the moſt famous States that ever were among the Heathen, all that in any excellency ſurpaſſed others, and were choſen to high and honourable places, for the moſt part, THEY were Men of Warre. The like may be noted of other well diſciplined and well governed polities. Moſt of our Dignities and Titles of honour have riſen from Artillery exerciſes, and Military imployments. Imperatores Emperours, were at Titles of honour moſt due to men of Warre.firſt Generals of armies: Duces Dukes, were Captaines of bands: Comites Earles, were Lieftenants, or Provoſts-Marſhalls: Milites Knights, were choice Souldiers: Equites Eſquires, were horſemen in Warre. Theſe and other like honourable titles were at firſt given to men, becauſe THEY were Men of Warre. The honour of Knight-hood is knowne properly to belong to ſuch as have well deſerved in Warre. Our Anceſtours got their greateſt renowne by warlike affaires. Can any now deny the Artillery profeſſion to have Maiores noſtri ſummam rebus bellicis retulere gloriam. Ambr. Offic. l. 1. c. 35. Things requiſite to make men fit for Warre.been accounted an honourable function? Many honourable parts and endowments are requiſite to make a man expert in the Artillery profeſſion, as, Soundneſſe of judgement, Sharpeneſſe of wit, Quickneſſe of conceit, Stoutneſſe and courage of mind, Vndauntedneſſe in danger, Diſcretion mixed with paſſion, Prudence, Patience, Ability and Agility of body, and of the ſeverall parts thereof, with the like: all which do demonſtrate that the function whereunto they are required, is an honourable function.
Matter both of Enducement and alſo of Encouragement doth this firſt obſervation afford.
§. 7. Of double honour due to ſuch as exerciſe Armes.
ENducement to men of place, power, and parts, to Governours, to Nobles, to Rich men, to all that can any way add any honor to this profeſſion, to do what they can to the advancement of that which is in it ſelfe ſo honourable (as hath been ſhewed) and worthy of all the honour that can be done unto it. The Apoſtle maketh mention of a double honour. 1 Tim. 5. 17.That double honour is Countenance and Maintenance: both which are moſt due to this profeſſion; and moſt meet it is that both be given thereto. By this double honour have Honos alit artes. Cic. Tuſc. quaeſt. lib. 1.all profeſſions in all ages beene brought to that perfection whereunto in any kind they have attained. The reſpect and reward which of old hath beene afforded to valorous, and couragious, well exerciſed, and well experienced Captaines and Souldiers in the foure fore-named Monarchies, made them ſo abound with Men of Warre, as the whole world was made to tremble at the heare-ſay of them. When once a queſtion was moved, why after Virgils time there were no more ſuch excellent Poets as he was, ſuch an anſwer as this was made:
Sint Mecanates non deerunt Flacce Marones: Virgilium que tibi vel tua rura dabunt. Martial. l. 8. Epigr. 56.Good Poets thrive where liberall Patrons live:
Their countries will another Virgil give.
An anſwer very pertinent to the point in hand: and fitly it may be applied to Captaines and Souldiers, who undoubtedly will abound in number, and grow very expert in all warlike exerciſes, where they are plentifully ſuſtained, and highly honoured. Were Artillery Gardens, and Military Fields for Martiall diſcipline and warlike trainings, foſtered and honoured thorow-out this land, as it is meet they ſhould be, Greece could have no cauſe to boaſt before England of her Achilles, Diomedes, Themiſtocles, Pericles, Pyrrhus, &c. nor Rome of her Scipioes, Horatij, Fabij, Pompeis, or Caeſars. Meanes among us are more wanting then Men, or Minds. Oh that this Enducement might prevaile with Men of Meanes, to afford the honour of Regard, and honour of Reward to this Artillery profeſſion which is ſo worthy of double honour.
§. 8. Of Encouragement to Artillery Gentlemen.
THe Encouragement concerneth you, the Commanders and other Members of this commendable and honourable Company. Howſoever your Profeſſion and practice be rejected or neglected by ſuch as ought moſt to reſpect it, yet it being honourable in it ſelfe, be encouraged to go on therein. The practice of a good thing is then moſt commendable, when, for the goodneſſe of it, it is practiſed. The puiſſant Princeſſe Deborab, that roſe up a Mother in Iſrael, and a Iudge therein, with admiration ſaid, of ſuch as offered themſelves willingly, My heart is on them. Had your Mother Iudg. 5. 9.London, or your Grand-mother England a tongue to expreſſe her mind, ſhe would with like approbation ſay to you, that ſhew your ſelves not only foreign willing, but alſo foreign forward to all Martial exerciſes, My heart is on you: yea the heart of him that loveth them that do good things cheerefully and willingly, and can and will honour them that honour him, his heart is on you. He accepteth the good things which are done of the doers owne accord, without compulſion by others, or remuneration from others, he accepteth them as done for his owne ſake. For *Compare Rom. 13. 5. with 1 Pet. 2. 13. 2 Chron 17. 16that which is done for conſcience ſake, is done for the Lords ſake. In this reſpect it is ſaid of Amaſiah the ſonne of Zichri a great Captaine and Commander of two hundred thouſand mighty men of valour, under King Iehoſaphat, that he willingly offered himſelfe unto the Lord: that is, he undertaking his function willingly, he did it as to the Lord. Thus of you that are of the ſame mind Quoniam ſibi mercedem ab homine non quaeſrvit, à Deo accepit, ſicut legimus, &c. Ambr de Abr Pat. l. 1. c. 3it may be ſaid, ye offer your ſelves willingly to the Lord. And will not the Lord graciouſly accept ſuch? Abraham, who in this kind nor expected nor accepted reward of man, heard God thus ſpeaking to him, Feare not Abraham: I am thy ſhield, and thine exceeding great reward.
§. 9. Of drawing more to the Artillery Garden.
GIve me leave to extend this Encouragement to ſuch as are not yet of your Fraternity, nor have yet given their names to be of your Society, I meane ſuch as are in the floure of their age, of ſufficient ſtature and ſtrength, well able to afford time and meanes for Artillery exerciſes, to offer themſelves readily and chearefully to this honourable ſervice. The time which may be, and uſually is ſpared from your particular callings, cannot be better ſpent, (exceptis ſemper excipiendis, except duties of piety and charity, whereby all other things are ſeaſoned and ſanctified) I ſay vacant houres cannot better be ſpent then in the Artillery Garden, and in the practice of Martiall diſcipline there exerciſed, as ſhall *§. 16.afterwards be more fully cleared.
But thus much of the firſt point, your honourable Function.