A50142:127
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. › Rule 2: RULE. II.
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.
All these Weapons are Defensive only:
At least we must have One to Offend our Adversary with; Where is our SWORD▪ This it is, Take the Sword of the Spirit which is the WORD OF GOD. This, o• English Josiah, is reported to have called for, under the Term of a Third Sword when two Swords were presented him at his Coronation. You are blessed with the free Use of a Bible, which is a spiritual Sword, Shaped by the Inspiration of the Eternal SPIRIT. This is a Sword of which I may say, as David of Goliath's, There is none like it. Here is a sort of Sword, whereof it may be ⟨p. 66⟩said unto every man, He that hath not such […] Sword, let him sell his Garment & buy one. The pious Husband-man who in a Scarcity of such now common-slighted Treasures, gave a Load of Hay for a Leaf of the Bible, for even a few Filings of this Sword, has justified this Advice. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath by his own Example showed you how to wield this Sword and manage it unto the Vanquishment of all Satanical Invasions: When the principal Tempter tried His Over-throw by proposing to him a Three-fold Bait of the same three Allurements which proved mortal to the First Adam, He still came of a Victor, by opposing an, It is WRITTEN, thereunto; and all the Swords or Words of this kind, used by Him, were fetched out of that one Book of Deuteronomy, from whence we may collect how rich a Supply for our War the whole Bible then will afford unto us. Let this be our Method against the joint Fraud and Force of our wily Enemies. Whenever they urge us to any evil thing, still have some pertinent Text of the Bible to reply upon them. All the Commandments, all the Promises, all the Me•ces in the Bible are like so many Swords all-Edge to be-friend you in this Concern. Thus particularly: Are you tempted unto ⟨p. 67⟩Uncleanness? Then reply, It is Written, Th• God knows how to reserve the unjust unto th Day of Judgement to be punished, but chiefly them that walk after the Flesh in the Lust of Uncleanness. Are you Tempted unto Revengefulness? Then reply, It is Written, Avenge not your selves, but overcome evil with good. Are you tempted unto Distracting and Corroding Cares about the things of this Life? Then reply, It is written, Cast all your Care upon God, for He careth for you. Thus may you conquer, as he said, sola unius Syllabae pronunciation, with a words speaking.