A50142:101
Military duties recommended to an artillery company
Military duties recommended to an artillery company; at their election of officers, in Charles-town, 13. d. 7. m. 1686. By Cotton Mather, pastor of a church in Boston.Military duties recommended to an artillery company; at their election of officers, in Charls-town, 13. d. 7. m. 1686. By Cotton Mather, pastor of a church in Boston.
printed by Richard Pierce, 1687
MILITARY DUTIES Laid before A TRAINED BAND 13. d. 7. m. 1686. › Application 5 › REMEMBER Next
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There are Obligations hereunto laid upon you by the Vows of God, which you are under. The military Oath was called a Sacrament of old. Verily you have taken Sacraments upon it, and Oaths of Fidelity unto the Lord Jesus Christ that you will never have any Peace, or so much as any Truce with these Enemies which would not have Him to reign over you. Were you not Baptized into the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ? Then, in that day were you listed under the •er o• that Potent; You were bound unto a neve• ceasing Emnity and Watchfulness against th• ⟨p. 48⟩Tempters which would with-draw you from your Allegiance unto Him. But, Ah Lord how rarely are any among us duly mindful of our Baptismal Vow! Souls, if ever after this you submit to the Wills of those Abominable things which would build a Partition-wall between God and you, You do then profanely play the Traitor towards the great LORD whose Mark you have received in your Foreheads. Be assured, the Waters of Baptism will one day become like the Waters of Jealousy, or more direful than a River of burning Brimstone unto the Renegadoes that shall thus procure to themselves a Lott among the Fearful & the Unbelievers. Have not many of you also sat down at the Table of the Lord? Verily, when the Lord so erected a Banner of Love over you in His Banqueting-house, there were fresh Ties, rendering all Reconciliation or Accommodation between you and these Amalekites the most Dishonest thing imaginable. The Lord Jesus Christ hath there said in plain Visible Words unto you,—Behold, I was thus murdered by those very enemies that are lying in wait for thy precious Life; O never do thou admit any Friendship with them. Then with a pretence of as much Affection as the Citizens of Rome discovered when the Show ⟨p. 49⟩of stabbed Caesar's bloody Robes made […] […] •ury to demolish the Houses of the Assassinate•, you have openly vowed never to have so much as a kind Parley or Treaty with those Destroyers; you have most vehemently professed against them, with the Indignation which David had against the Injurious man in the parable, As the Lord lives, I'll do what I can, that they who have done this thing may die the Death. And can you find in your hearts after this, thus to break your Everlasting Govenant? After you have ate and drank with Jesus Christ can you sit and side with the Assailers of His Throne?