Once more, Soldiers ought to be Sin-hating men. There has been a Scandal raised upon Souldiers, [Nulla fides pietasque viris qui Castra sequuntur.] ⟨p. 29⟩that Soldiers are seldom Christians. The slander has been most happily confuted by the virtuous Lives which many men of a Military Profession have been exemplary for. That I may recite one Instance instead of many, give me leave to inform you of what the Learned Voetius relateth in his Ecclesiastical Poli•y, (part. 1. Lib, 2. Tract. 4) concerning a young Scotch Gentleman of his acquaintance, then a Captain in the Low-Countries. This devout Soldier was (as Voetius testifies to the world in his Immortal Writings) a Mirror of piety, Gravity, Modesty and extraordinary Prudence. He was abundant in Reading the Scriptures, & sundry Treatises both of Divinity and History, and penning down in his private papers the memorable passages which he found pertinent & profitable to himself therein. Yea, it was common with him to spend whole Days in the Austerities of a Fast. He moreover kept a constant Diary wherein (to use his own Phrase) he had on one Side, a page For the Old man, on the other side, a page For the New man; in these he did every day note down on the one side, How far the Interest of Sin decayed in him, on the other s•de, How far he grew in his Conformity to Jesus Christ. ⟨p. 30⟩Doing thus until he dyed. Upon which the Reflection of that great man is to this purpose, It is fit that many Ministers of the Gospel should read this, to make them sensible how much a Soldier has gone beyond them in the Exercises of Devotion. Now let your Accurate Conversation in like manner promote the Vindication and the Reputation of the blemished Soldier. Beware of those Sins that Soldiers are most addicted unto. John Baptist in his Advice to Soldiers Luc. 3.14. hath enumerated some of those hateful Immoralities. It was a Proverb of old, Miles Roman, Aegyptum cave; Roman Soldiers must be careful to shun Egyptian vices. Many a man is no less than a Leader unto a Trained Band, and yet so miserable as to be himself mis-led by a Foolish Lust. O be so valiant as to Fly (here Valour it self turns its back) the Fleshly Lusts whereof the Alarms of God have told you, That they war against the Soul. Abstain especially from the ordinary Epidemical Vices of Training Days.
Once more, Souldiers ought to be Sin-hating men. There has been a Scandal raised upon Souldiers, [Nulla fides pietasque viris qui Castra sequuntur.] ⟨p. 29⟩that Souldiers are seldom Christians. The slander has been most happily confuted by the vertuous Lives which many men of a Military Profession have been exemplary for. That I may recite one Instance instead of many, give me leave to inform you of what the Learned Voetius relateth in his Ecclesiastical Poli•y, (part. 1. Lib, 2. Tract. 4) concerning a young Scoth Gentleman of his acquaintance, then a Captain in the Low-Countryes. This devout Souldier was (as Voetius testifies to the world in his Immortal Writings) a Mirrour of piety, Gravity, Modesty and extraordinary Prudence. He was abundant in Reading the Scriptures, & sundry Treatises both of Divinity and History, and penning down in his private papers the memorable passages which he found pertinent & profitable to himself therein. Yea, it was common with him to spend whole Days in the Austerities of a Fast. He moreover kept a constant Diary wherein (to use his own Phrase) he had on one Side, a page For the Old man, on the other side, a page For the New man; in these he did every day note down on the one side, How far the Interest of Sin decayed in him, on the other s•de, How far he grew in his Conformity to Jesus Christ. ⟨p. 30⟩Doing thus until he dyed. Upon which the Reflection of that great man is to this purpose, It is fit that many Ministers of the Gospel should read this, to make them sensible how much a Souldier has gone beyond them in the Exercises of Devotion. Now let your Accurate Conversation in like manner promote the Vindication and the Reputation of the blemished Souldier. Beware of those Sins that Souldiers are most addicted unto. John Baptist in his Advice to Souldiers Luc. 3.14. hath enumerated some of those hateful Immoralities. It was a Proverb of old, Miles Romane, Aegyptum cave; Roman Souldiers must be careful to shun Egyptian vices. Many a man is no less than a Leader unto a Trained Band, and yet so miserable as to be himself mis-led by a Foolish Lust. O be so valiant as to Fly (here Valour it self turns its back) the Fleshly Lusts whereof the Alarms of God have told you, That they war against the Soul. Abstain especially from the ordinary Epidemical Vices of Training Dayes.
