The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

I wish that being a sworn Soldier of the Lord of Hosts, ¹whatsoever trials and tribulations I meet with in my holy warfare, whatsoever dangers and death shall look me in the face, I may never fly from my colours or forsake my Captain, but endure hardship as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ. When I first listed my self in his Muster-Roll, I understood the grievous hardships, and various hazards, which all his Army, but especially his Officers must encounter with, that to Preach the Gospel is as Luther saith, to draw the hatred of the whole World upon a man; yea that Earth and Hell would both conspire and plant their strongest batteries against the Bulwarks of the Church (under God) the Ministers of the word, notwithstanding all which, I entered my name as a Volunteer, and promised to live and dye in his quarrel, and shall I now because ⟨p. 506⟩the enemies appear numerous, and the Bullets fly thick, like Peter, deny my righteous cause, and disown my glorious Captain. Lord let me dye with thee rather then deny thee; Enable me through thy strength to be ready not only to be bound, but to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus. My only safety consisteth in keeping close to my Saviour. Should I through cowardliness run away, I must expect Marshal law; If any man draw back, thy soul will have no pleasure in him. If I, like Jonah, should run from thy presence as unwilling to deliver an unwelcome message, I must expect a storm to follow after me, and either the waves to swallow me up, or the Whale to swallow me down; I should but go out of thy blessing into the warm Sun: If the service of my God be not in all respects the best, why did I choose and like it? If it be, why should I refuse and leave it? My cause is good, I fight against sin and Satan, the desperate and bloody enemies of my soul; My Crown is better; after a a temporal conflict, followeth an eternal Crown of glory. (O my soul be thou faithful unto death, and thou shalt have a Crown of life) but my Captain is best of all, he looketh upon me, goeth before me, fighteth for me, and as he leadeth me on to this trial, so he will not, like the Devil and the World, who leave their servants and Lovers in the lurch, but bring me off with triumph, either safe on earth, or safe to heaven: Lord, whatsoever dirt of calumny, shall be thrown in my face;

I wish that being a sworn Souldier of the Lord of Hosts,