N00168:39
The heart garrisoned or, The wisdom, and care of the spiritual soldier above all…The heart garrisoned or, The wisdome, and care of the spiritual souldier above all…
The heart garrisoned or, The wisdom, and care of the spiritual soldier above all things to safeguard his heart. Delivered in a sermon which was preached to the honoured gentlemen of the Artillery Company, on the day of their election, at Boston in New-England June, 5. 1676. / By Mr. Samuel Willard. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]The heart garrisoned or, The wisdome, and care of the spiritual souldier above all things to safeguard his heart. Delivered in a sermon which was preached to the honoured gentlemen of the Artillery Company, on the day of their election, at Boston in New-England June, 5. 1676. / By Mr. Samuel Willard. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Samuel Green, 1676
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.
1. Consider, the Equity of your Cause; no Change of Success can groundedly put it into question, it is a defensive War, your Souls are Hostilely Invaded, the whole Country of your Heart is filled with Enemies; there may be many N•ce Scruples against a Foreign Invasion; and I do believe that the People of God oftentimes engage in needless Quarrels, and if they are beaten soundly they may thank themselves: thus Josiah goes uncalled against Necho, to meet a Death he might have avoided had he kept his place; but self Preservation is a Rule written in the Law of Nature, practiced by all Ranks of Beings, and legible enough in the Hearts of fallen men: your Cause is just, it is in Gods Right, which is undeniable; it is for your own Preservation from Eternal Ruin, which is Indubitable; it is against usurping Enemies who cannot make good the least true Title against Cruel Enemies; whose tender mercies are cruelty, and it is better dying in a good Cause then Conquering in a bad one:
1. Consider, the Equity of your Cause; no Change of Success can groundedly put it into question, it is a defensive Warre, your Souls are Hostilely Invaded, the whole Country of your Heart is filled with Enemies; there may be many N•ce Scruples against a Forreign Invation; and I do believe that the People of God oftentimes engage in needless Quarrels, and if they are beaten soundly they may thank themselves: thus Josiah goes uncalled against Necho, to meet a Death he might have avoided had he kept his place; but self Preservation is a Rule written in the Law of Nature, practiced by all Ranks of Beings, and legible enough in the Hearts of fallen men: your Cause is just, it is in Gods Right, which is undeniable; it is for your own Preservation from Eternal Ruine, which is Indubitable; it is against usurping Enemies who cannot make good the least true Title against Cruel Enemies; whose tender mercies are cruelty, and it is better dying in a good Cause then Conquering in a bad one:
2. Consider, the weight and greatness of the Cause you are engaged in: Remember you carry your Life, Honour, Glory, Liberty in your right hand, which must either manfully be defended, or basely lost: they are poor and trifling things which the men of the world scuffle and fight for, i compared with the Exigencies of this Warfare: In particular.