Contentment Leading a Christian, Postscript
Postscript.
FIrst, souldiers must be called, & do all by authority, warranting them to doe things which otherwise were unlawfull. To kill, sacke, and spoile, without calling, were murder, robbery, and oppression. Command is the key of warre, whrch else were a Chaos, or Akeldama, a confused field of blood. Apply it to the Ministery.
Secondly, As Souldiers must bee trained, armed, united, honoured, and ordered, so must Ministers, spiritually; and all for the glory of Christ in the Church. Looke at him, who for our good despised ease, and for our example sent not his servants onelyonly, but came himselfe in person: And a souldier being pressed must not send a Deputy, but serve in his own person. Or wilt thou be (as Arnobius) abs que Christo Christianus? a Christian, and a Preacher too, and not for Christ?
Thirdly, As good Leaders, we must lead our people out of dangerous wayes, and be sure all passages bee cleared; for that there are many times more dangers in odde meetings and skirmishes, then in open field.
Fourthly, We must not scorn plainwayes, wherein our company may goe along with us: Not mount up aloft in high and Scholasticall speculations, as if we would lead men over the Alpes to heaven. Nor in rough and craggy wayes of knotty Controversies, or abstruse passages: But in a faire and beaten path, that with our selves our company may come safely and speedily to the end of our march and journey. And wisedome will teach people to live, not to dispute, and accustome them rather to fight with their owne vices, the other mens opinions. The most profitable combat is that, which every man makes with with himselfe: And if with others, then, when not victory, but truth is sought: else both truth and charity are lost together.
Fiftly, Vse allowed weapons of foreign.proofe. Those be not foreign, silver Lances, which the Oracle would have Philip of Macedon use in winning an impregnable Fort. Nor golden sentences, strong lines, froth of wit. It is iron, not gold, that killeth in the encounter. It is the Steel sword, not the golden, that winneth the field
Lastly, Take heed we let not Benhadad goe, id est, men committed to our trust and keeping; lest our lives goe for their lives.
FINIS.
❧ A Catalogue of such Tracts and Sermons of Doctor Taylors, as are licenced for the Presse, but not yet Printed.
SEventy three Catechisticall Exercises on the grounds of Religion, upon the Lords dayes in the afternoone.
Sermons on the eighth of Amos 11, 12.
The warrantable hatred, on Revelations 2. and 6.
A Patterne of Peace, on Heb. 12. 14.
A Caveat against offences, on Mat. 18. 7.
A Mirror of ingratitude, Iohn 26.
A President for Preachers, on Luke 4. 43.
A Sermon on Cantic. 5. 2.
A Sermon on Mat. 6. 24.
A Sermon on Exod. 23. 2.
A Sermon on Mat. 6. 26.
A Sermon on Luke 10. 42.
A Sermon on 2 Cor. 6. 16.
A Tract on 2 Cor. 6. 1, 6.
A Sermon on 1 Sam. 1.
Iephtah his vow, on Iudg. 11. 35.
Sermons on the Powder Treason, on Gen. 45, 5, 6, 7.
On Prov. 12. 20.
Massacre at Bethlehem, on Mat. 2. 13.
The Badge of true Christians, on Iohn 13. 35.
Sermons on Mat. 26. 47,
End of the text · Thomas Taylor, Contentment Leading a Christian (1641)